Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche 2006
Chardonnay
from Burgundy, France
winemaker's notes:
The 1986 vintage of this wine was ranked #10 on the Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 1988
"An authentic masterpiece! This wine should be regarded as the yardstick by which all other Burgundies should be judged. The color has a splendid golden sheen. On the nose, a multitude of aromas are a pleasure to discover: floral notes of lily of the valley, peach blossom, exotic fruit, honey, grilled almonds, even exotic woods at times. On the palate, the structure is dominated by a harmonious roundness which never imparts any heaviness. The aftertaste is exceptionally long and enhances the finesse of the whole. A glorious symphony of
sensations!"
-Veronique Boss-Drouhin
This world-famous estate belongs to one of the oldest and most aristocratic French families: the Marquis de Laguiche. Out of the 14 different owners, the Marquis de Laguiche family is propriétaire of the largest portion of Le Montrachet, entirely located in Puligny (according to many authorities, the better side). It has been in their hands since 1363.
It is ironical that the hillside of Montrachet, producing Burgundy's most prestigious white wine (and in some say the world's most complex), should look so unprepossessing. The etymology of the place-name is actually instructive : the word rachet refers to a poor type of soil where only scrawny bushes can grow. It is therefore on this "poor, hard, infertile" soil, which geologists call Bathonian limestone, that the Chardonnay grape develops this unique "terroir" character.
Montrachet is full bodied and luscious, yet elegant. It is only after a few years in bottle that it will develop its famous complexity and richness. Nose and aftertaste are reminiscent of exotic fruit, honey, liquorice, grilled almond and many other flavours which wine lovers over the years have attempted to analyse. But it is perhaps a musical word which can best describe this glorious wine: a symphony of sensations.
critical acclaim:
"As good and refined as several of the foregoing wines are, this is the clear class of the cellar with moderate wood notes framing a fresh, intense and airy nose that sports impressive aromatic breadth while merging into exceptionally rich and intense full-bodied flavors that possess seemingly buckets of dry extract which gives the finish a textured and naturally sweet character. A wine of power yet excellent energy and focus and this too is both quite primary and youthfully austere at present. A potentially great Drouhin Montrachet. 94-96"
96 Points
Burghound.com
"The 2006 Montrachet Marquies de Laguiche (about to be bottled when I tasted it) is predictably richer and creamier than the other wines in Drouhin’s 2006 collection, but also more penetrating, vibrant, and thought-provoking. White peach, nut oils, bittersweet hyacinth and iris floral notes, along with hints of wet stone and bitter notes of fruit pit that compliment its sense of sweet ripeness, make for an exceptionally complex and harmonious whole, whose layering reflects the eight surgical passes over this vineyard that constituted its 2006 harvest. Even here, there is a relatively obvious toasty, spicy note of oak, but it is well-integrated into the long, enveloping finish. No doubt this will evolve fascinatingly over the coming decade."
94 Points
The Wine Advocate
"Reticent, pure aromas of stone fruits, crushed rock, minerals and violet, plus a whiff of dried fruits. Large-scaled, rich and sweet, with lovely inner-mouth floral character lifting the flavor of perfectly ripe peach. A thick, broad, wonderfully harmonious wine with very well-judged oak (one-third new) for its fruit. The long, perfumed finish throws off notes of minerals and spices. This was bottled in April of 2008, whereas the previous wines were all bottled last fall. 93(+?) points"
93 Points
International Wine Cellar
