2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay Clos du Château des Ducs 1er Cru

The Lafarge monopole 2006 Volnay Clos Du Chateau Des Ducs leads with ripe yet tart-edged cherry and red currant; takes on a bitter-sweet cast as licorice and cherry pit intervene on the palate; and retains a refreshing cast even as it caresses with silken texture. Mineral, tea-like, and gamey shadings are lingering in the shadows rather than engaging in intercourse with the fruit, but I'm left wondering whether the relative absence of dynamic here is a a function of the wine's temporary state or of an inherently relatively reticent personality. Certainly one will be able to derive at least a decade of satisfaction from this and – based its track record – longer for those fascinated by wine's life beyond middle-age. Frederic and Michel Lafarge are consistently adept in challenging vintages, and succeeded admirably in 2006, harvesting from September 20 until the end of that month. To hear them tell (as well as to taste the results) their fruit was largely healthy, and sorting was principally to remove under-ripe berries and clusters. Not surprisingly, they chalk this up to vine management. "Biodynamic treatments permit the vine to overcome the stress of weather extremes," such as characterized 2006, asserts Frederic Lafarge. Michel Lafarge points out that the same – to his mind ideal – 12.5-13+% potential alcohol was reached over the same period in premier cru and non-cru sites alike, a phenomenon due in part, he believes, to his estate's high average age of vine. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet (various importers), fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70