The Vintage
The long, hard winter of 2005/06 resulted in a late budding. June was dry and very sunny with temperatures that steadily built up, ensuring flowering took place in ideal conditions. July was also dry, very sunny and exceptionally hot. August was unsettled and cool with scattered showers. Happily, fine weather returned in September and the grapes reached good levels of ripeness.
2006 was a year when the skill of the viticulturist and winemaker were required, especially when compared to the "gift from nature" which was the 2005 vintage. The harvest began at Bouchard Père & Fils on 18 September and was completed without suffering any bad weather. Yields of whites were normal and reds were slightly down on the average.
Côte d'Or reds
The Pinot Noir grapes from 2006 had thick, firm skins and exceptional richness with sugar maturity ahead of phenolic maturity. When we tasted them they had all finished their malolactic fermentations but inevitably some wines were further down the evolutionary track than others.
The wines are pure and harmonious. They do not have the depth or seductive powers of the 2005s, but they will be superior to the still angular 2004s and will develop well in the bottle to give the sort of fresh and elegant wines on which Burgundy has built its reputation. This is a real Burgundy lovers' vintage with each appellation displaying its individuality and finesse.
Côte d'Or whites
2006 will turn out to be a better vintage for whites than reds. A good early barometer for quality levels is auction prices at the Hospice de Beaune; prices for Chardonnay were around 25% up on 2005.
With exceptionally high sugar levels, rich pulp and thick skins the grapes were pressed for longer than normal to make the most of their considerable aromatic potential. The wines have all the fatness and texture of the sexy 2005s but contain an extra dimension of acidity and aromatic purity which lends balance and longevity. In our mind this will be the best white Burgundy vintage since 2002 and one which will produce some exceptional wines.
Chablis
As in 2005 picking began early at William Fèvre in 2006 - beginning 3 days before the ban de vendage at their holding in Les Preuses, and finishing by 21 September. In contrast to 2005 when hail in July and rain in late August triggered some rot and high sugar levels the weather held, so little or no sorting was required and healthy grapes were harvested.
This domaine is making some of the best wines in Chablis and the 2006s are their best yet in the opinion of winemaker/director Didier Seguier; we agree. This is classic Chablis with firm acidity and a minerality which gives the wines a poise and verve unique to the region. They will develop slowly and gracefully in the bottle and offer real value when compared to their Côte d'Or counterparts.
The Market
En primeur Burgundy offers are still few and far between, with many domaines being cagey about prices for their 2006 wines as they wait to see how the (so far difficult) 2007 crop turns out. This is a shame, since in recent years Burgundian producers have not been so quick as their Bordelais counterparts to capitalise on a still-buoyant fine wine market - as those customers who have seen the market value of their 2005 Burgundies appreciate considerably over the last 12 months can testify.
We believe our Bouchard and Fèvre offer is a fantastic opportunity to acquire sought-after wines made in small volumes at advantageous prices. This will be especially true if the early press interest in the 2006 whites continues.