Veronique Drouhin-Boss opines that the estate's 2006 Corton Bressandes seems never to have had a bad or even awkward day in its young evolution, and the inclusion of some whole clusters with stems testifies to the confidence the Drouhin team had in its fruit quality, and vendange entier doubtless also accentuated the spice and lily-like floral notes that – along with myriad ripe berries and a whiff of game – make up the wine's bouquet. This is practically the epitome of fine-grained tannins that seem to fall away in a long, subtly creamy, finish combining levitating layers of rich marrow, liquid floral perfume, and refreshingly tart fruit. As with many 2006s of its appellation – but to an unusual degree – this shows a generous and youthfully appealing side to a usually dourer site. Still, I expect this little masterpiece of understatement and refinement should be worth following for at least half a dozen years.
"I was skeptical when the harvest came," says Philippe Drouhin about 2006, "because the weather had been so hectic; we had to sort the grapes; and it was not as nice as '05. But the more I tasted the '06s in the course of the year, the more I liked them." Winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac says he was hyper-cautious about avoiding the extraction of bitterness or under-ripeness, and employed vendange entier (whole clusters with stems) on a significant share of the grands (and top premiers) crus, but only in conjunction with rigorous table-sorting. Most came in at 13-13.5% potential alcohol. The wines were bottled about as early as they ever have been at Drouhin, to preserve and avoid drying out the fruit. (Just as elsewhere in this report, I have frequently indicated in my tasting note whether the source of grapes is the family's domaine or contract fruit, but have not attempted to reflect this as part of the descriptions used to identify the wines.)
Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770
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