The Drouhin 2006 Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres leads with ripe peach and lemon; comes to the palate quite opulent, creamy, and full; and finishes with a satisfying combination of richness and leavening citricity. With a fairly obvious note of new wood – like so many wines in this collection – it cannot be said to display notable clarity, finesse or intricacy, at least for now. It would be interesting to give this another look after a couple of years in bottle. The Drouhins started early but picked with a level of meticulousness and at a moderate tempo that most growers did not feel they could afford this vintage. Lees contact was passive and the wines were bottled relatively early. The results are universally rich and accessible, the best wines being those that manage to retain clarity and a measure of vivacity as well as to stand up to their components of new wood. Drouhin has tight viticultural control over the numerous parcels that inform their village level wines, even though most of them are not owned. Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770

Rich, full, but properly mineral Chardonnay, the wine poised between creamy wood flavors and tight lemon and pink grapefruit acidity. Crispness vies with full-bodied fruit, leaving a deliciously satisfying balance. Drink now, but also worth aging. Imported by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.——R.V.(10/1/2009)—— 91