Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tache Grand Cru 2006

The 2006 La Tâche is the most layered and pliant of these four 2006s. I especially admire the wine’s inner sweetness and perfume, both qualities that carry through to the creamy, expressive finish. This is a terrific showing from the 2006.

Drink 2016 - 2036

Good colour. The nose is a bit hidden. But it is evident that this is a big step up on the Richebourg. More concentration. More volume. More depth. Above all, more class and definition. Charming, balanced fruit and an excellent long finish. Very fine, plus.

The 2006 La Tâche Grand Cru is a vintage that I had not tasted since it was in barrel. But what a gorgeous wine it has turned out to be. The bouquet is so seductive, a heady mixture of red and blue fruit, pressed violets and citrus fruit that soar from the glass with amazing precision. The palate is medium-bodied with precise tannin, velvety smooth in texture with layers of red fruit laced with black cherries, Earl Grey and even a hint of liquorice. Monitoring the wine over several minutes, it seems to gain depth and persistence. Beautiful.

Drink 2022 - 2050

Deep red. Lovely high-pitched aromas and flavors of raspberry, minerals, flowers and spices; this could go into a time capsule. Then juicy, pure and almost magically light on its feet, with terrific verve and spicy lift. With air, a note of smoky underbrush emerged, but in comparison to this sappy wine the 2005 is distinctly more sauvage. It finishes with sweet but firm tannins and outstanding purity and persistence.

Aubert de Villaine describes 2007 as an ethereal vintage, and thus probably not for people who look for fleshiness in their Burgundies. He is confident that what he describes as "the early vegetal aspect" shown by the 2007s will evolve into a fascinating perfume with 15 years of bottle ageing. Potential alcohols here were in the 12.5% range when the domain harvested during the first week of September, and the wines were chaptalized less than a half degree simply to prolong the fermentations. Vinification was done with about 50% to 60% of the stems, or a bit less than usual. Villaine considers the DRC 2006s to be more classic wines. "They're ethereal, and they have strong soil tones, and there's plenty of flesh too," he said.