Black tea, cumin, fresh cherry, and salt spray in the nose of the Le Moine 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers lead into a palate that offers a remarkable coincidence of concentrated berry and ocean brine with a springy sense of lift and energy, as well as inner-mouth suggestions of exotic spices and musky floral perfume. The finish here practically glides off, with a fascinating degree of interplay. "We don't know just what makes this site so special," enthuses Saouma, "but it is the Amoureuses of Gevrey. If Lavaux is skeletal, this is an essence." That last sentence certainly sums the two wines up beautifully, but I am skeptical that this will ever display quite the reach or profundity of its Lavaux sibling. Still, I would plan on at least an 8-10 year running.
"There was too much fruit" on the vines in 2006, opines Mounir Saouma, "and at the same time too much tannin in the fruit." Early pickers therefore, in his opinion, risked getting "lots of primary flavors, but wines that weren't serious. So we started the aging process asking ourselves how we will make this wine less tannic and more serious. After malolactic," which is always late here, "the wines changed completely. But the bigger mistake in 2006 was to bottle early" - something which also never happens at this address - "because the wines needed some time on their lees to extract sweetness and depth, and for all of their elements to come together." The results this year here are spectacular, and need not shy from comparison with their very different 2005 predecessors. Note that with a few significant exceptions there are usually only 1-2 barriques (25-50 cases) of any given Lucien Le Moine wine. Also, despite the number of them I tasted, that did not comprise by any means the entire collection (a circumstance I have taken pains to remedy with 2007). For further details on Le Moine's proprietors and methodology - which, once again this year, included a significant amount of vinification with stems - consult my report in issue 171.
Importer: Vintus, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (919) 769-3000
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