In a sort of study in cherries, high-toned maraschino and almond extract along with fresh morellos fill the nose from Boillot's 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles (which I last tasted from tank just before bottling). Dark berry juices and smoked meat with stony underpinnings and tinged by peat and black pepper pungency inform a finely-tannic palate, and this finishes with cut and clarity, as well as vibratory pungency, leaving the tongue aquiver and mineral and spice nuances prominently on display. Neither this wine's stoniness nor its abundant tannins pull it in an austere direction. It is an excellent example of its vintage's and site's talents, and should merit following for at least 6-8 years.
Louis Boillot fields a diverse array of appellations reflecting in large part his Volnaysien grandfather's having become established in Gevrey. (For more about this family, see my report on Louis's brother Pierre in this issue. Like the wines of his wife Ghislaine Barthod – with whom he shares a facility in Chambolle – most of Louis Boillot's 2006s had not yet been bottled when I last tasted them.)
Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990