2006 Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses

Patrice Rion says he has complete control over the care of the vines that inform a 2006 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses which represents his first wine from them. Blackberry confiture, smoke, incense, and decadent faded lily perfume rise from the glass. On the palate, this exhibits the most refined tannins and sumptuous fruit of any of Rion's 2006s that I tasted. Furthermore, there is an invigoratingly juicy primary fruit persistence here to accompanied the sweet, lightly-cooked suggestions of jam, as well as a distinctly 2006 sense of lift to the finish that perfectly suits the wine's persistent florality. I would plan to savor it over the next 6-8 years. I had not visited with Patrice Rion since before 2000, when he left his very long-standing position as winemaker at Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils and began focusing his efforts on the Domaine Michele & Patrice that he and his wife Michele had established in 1990. Together with a hands-on negociant branch known officially as "Patrice Rion," their activities have grown to encompass an extensive array of wines, only a small subset of which I had time to assess. (Following my general practice in this report, I have noted the estate origins of certain wines in my tasting notes, but have not made a distinction in the way that the wines are named between those belonging to the domaine and those sourced by acreage or fruit under contract.) A Scott Levy Selection, Norcross, GA; tel. (770) 730-0361