2006 Grand Echezeaux
By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
2006 Grand Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Burgundy, France
Within the revered echelons of vinous excellence, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti holds a torch that illuminates the virtue of terroir – and the 2006 Grand Echezeaux is no exception. The vintage was a pageant of viticultural exactitude, punctuated by stable flowering, a timely summer heat that tapered into a majestic September, allowing for an assemblage of fruit rich in both maturity and balance.
A Symphony of Terroir and Time
The 2006 vintage in Burgundy was characterised by juxtaposition – an early start followed by late ripening. This flux presented a winemaker's gambit that Domaine de la Romanee-Conti navigated with seasoned aplomb. Therein lies the linchpin to investing in this vintage; it unfurls as a testament to skillful viniculture meshed with nature's whims. The 2006 Grand Echezeaux is an enlightenment on the palate – an intertwining of ripe red fruits with subtle whispers of oak and earthy underbrush synonymous with Burgundian savoir-faire.
Pedigree and Poise: Investment Worthy
The harmony of this vintage speaks volumes about the storied vineyards of Grand Echezeaux. With the soil's natural propensity to relay its finesse through the vines, each bottle from 2006 resonates with a poised intricacy; here we find delicate lacy tannins framing a core of luscious fruit compote, seasoned judiciously with sage and myrrh nuances.
A wine enthusiast seeking both prestige and potential will find solace in the 2006 Grand Echezeaux. It is a cuvée that commands attention and respect on the global fine wine stage. As it matures gracefully, one can foresee its continued ascendancy in complexity and worth – making it an intelligent cornerstone for any discerning wine investment portfolio.
Summation: The Vintage's Voice
In summation, the 2006 Grand Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti exemplifies the dance between patience and providence. It is a vintage underlined by its elegance yet underscored by its depth – a harmonious offering from a bastion of unparalleled winemaking pedigree. For investors and connoisseurs alike, this Grand Echezeaux stands as a beacon of opulence promised by well-chosen vintages.
Current market price
$62,540.00
12x75cl
Highest score
92
POP score
3122.5
Scores and tasting notes
The Domaine's 2006 Grands-Echezeaux is altogether less charming and flattering than its ostensibly lesser sibling, leading as it does with fresh red meat and pronouncedly saline, marine mineral notes even in the nose. In the mouth, this is relatively spare but formidably-concentrated and finely-tannic, with cedar, tartly-edged though ripe black fruits, and alkaline mineral notes that carry into a striking, bloodily carnal and almost briny finish. Here is Pinot Noir in its role as a mirror for human flesh and bone. What I see sends shivers down my spine and excites my imagination, but the wine seems to have no intention of flattering me. I didn't encounter another Pinot at all like this in the vintage, and it should be fascinating to follow for a dozen or more years, but unlike the Echezeaux, I would not plan to open any bottles for at least another 3-4. The Domaine de La Romanee-Conti harvested from the 20th-25th of September (commencing with Richebourg) and subjected the crop to rigorous sorting. Understandably, the viticultural meticulousness at this estate as well as its team of some 60 highly-skilled and –motivated pickers paid dividends in the context of a challenging vintage. Director Aubert de Villaine and cellarmaster Bernard Noblet vinified their 2006s with a lesser share of stems and whole clusters, and exposed them to new wood for a shorter period (thereafter racking into older barrels) than the corresponding 2005s. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 21 December 2009