Cedar, tobacco, roasted meats, and lightly-cooked black raspberry and cherry in the nose of Mortet's 2006 Clos Vougeot presage its performance on a quite texturally refined – indeed, almost plush – palate. This evinces a sense of extract-richness and sheer density while displaying elegance and lift. The sense of fruit sweetness here is subtle, allowing the marrow-like dimension of carnal richness to take the lead in a long, rewarding finish. I would give this a few years in bottle and count on 10-12 of excellent performance. I find the quality here noteworthy considering that this appellation has nearly always – even in 2005 – struck me as something of a step-child in that respect like Mortet's Chambolle, which incidentally was inexplicably absent from the line-up I tasted with him.
For his first entirely solo vintage, Arnaud Mortet was saddled with a load of challenges, most notably the legacy of hail in so many of his vineyards. His reaction was to back off on extraction and new wood, trends which he seems inclined to continue pursuing even in less tricky vintages. He opines that the "acid structure" of his 2006s – which are also amply endowed with largely fine-grained tannins – will help them age well.
Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400