2006 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Frere et Soeur Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Perrières 1er Cru

Cherry jam and a hint of prune on the nose of the Meo-Camuzet 2006 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Perrieres Frere et Soeur lead to a predictably soft, sweetly-ripe palate underlain by bittersweet chocolate and a somewhat abrasive carpet of tannin. As with the corresponding Argillas, I hope that the tannins will smooth out and suspect that there may be incipient complexity here, but for now it's not showing. The wine's sheer richness and sweetness of fruit will certainly win it friends, but in the context especially of the potential shown by this and so many other Nuits-St.-Georges vineyards in 2006, it is disappointing. Jean-Nicolas Meo harvested 2006 fruit between 13.25-14.25% potential alcohol, slightly higher than in 2005. Except for a few instances of vineyards touched by hail, he said, he vinified in essentially the same way (including the same percentages of new barrels) as he had in 2005. Meo notes that the pHs of his 2006s ended up quite high after their malos, and while this contributes to their sense of softness and generosity, I sometimes find these wines wanting for some vivacity or primary juiciness. (I have appended to the description of Meo's negociant bottlings the words "Frere et Soeur" that appear underneath "Meo-Camuzet" on their labels.) Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524. Also a Jean-Marie de Champs Selection (various importers), French fax 011 33 3 80 22 58 25