The 2006 Beaune Cent Vignes offers smoked meat, game, tobacco, and herbs somewhat at the expense of the high-toned and brightly fresh cherry one anticipates from youthful wine of this site. Still, a lightly-cooked red fruit aura carries into a subtly creamy, satisfyingly persistent, buoyant, though not especially focused or animated finish. The smoky, gamey elements here – typical for the site, but not in a wine this young – are, I suspect, apt to quickly gain the upper hand, but for now this is very appealing, and makes a virtue out of its relative lightness of weight. I would accordingly recommend drinking it in the course of 2010.

After waiting to harvest until only the last four or five days of September, Geoffrey Choppin de Janvry reports having done a rigorous sorting and ultimately assembling his 2006s earlier than usual – in February, with bottling a month later – in order to preserve fruit.

Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832 9083