2006 Vosne Romanee les Suchots
By Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
2006 Vosne Romanee les Suchots from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Burgundy, France
The 2006 vintage in Burgundy was not without its challenges; a hot July followed by a cool, rainy August brought about an arduous harvest period. However, the exceptional terroir of Vosne-Romanée's Les Suchots vineyard combined with the artisanal expertise of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair resulted in a wine that transcends the vintage's adversities and further asserts its collectability amongst fine wine investors.
Exceptional Craftsmanship Meeting Nature’s Challenge
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, known for their meticulous vinification processes and limited production numbers, coaxed out a 2006 Vosne Romanee les Suchots that presents a testament to the winery's aptitude for producing profoundly complex wines even when nature’s pendulum swings widely. The result of this year's harvest is less about power and more on precision, offering an intricate bouquet of aromas that entwine ripe cherries and blackcurrant with hints of violet and a gentle touch of spice.
Matured Elegance: Investment-worthy Posture
A deliberate investment into the labour-intensive methods at Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair during the unpredictable climactic dance of 2006 has paid off handsomely. This manifests in the wine's structure—a carefully stitched tapestry of firm tannins with a surprisingly tender mouthfeel. The balance is impeccable, introducing an aged patina where secondary notes of truffle and forest floor peek through, while a whispering acidity keeps the experience alive and dynamic on the palate.
I am struck by how gracefully this 2006 Vosne Romanee les Suchots has matured, retaining vibrant layers that confidently perch it amongst its siblings as one of the most charming expressions of its decade. Defying the expectation of an arduous vintage, it stands out as a wine with significant investment appeal—an undeniable testimony of skill triumphing over nature’s caprice.
A Summary for Connoisseurs and Investors Alike
To discerning oenophiles and investors, this interpretation of the 2006 Vosne Romanee les Suchots from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair stands as an exemplar among Burgundian collectibles. It ascertains that with judicious handling and an unfaltering commitment to quality, even a challenging year can yield hidden gems. Engaging at present yet promising further complexity with time, it makes a compelling candidate for long-term investment portfolios and promises continued enjoyment for years to come.
Current market price
£15,250.00
12x75cl
Highest score
91
POP score
1386.36
Scores and tasting notes
The Liger-Belair 2006 Vosne Romanee Les Suchots displays a surprisingly slightly developed hint of garnet in color; and a dark – and to that degree site-typical – palate shading, with faintly cooked black fruits, forest floor, and pungent black pepper. This finishes broadly, sweetly, and caressingly, its tannins either melted or submerged under the fruit. I'd personally like to experience a bit more vivacity and lift, but this is Pinot and 2006 in their softly enveloping mode, and impressive in those terms. How will it age? I wonder: it seems so drinkable and evolved now. Louis-Michel Liger-Belair reported higher potential alcohol levels this year than in 2005, but also maintains that the nature of the ambient yeasts in 2006 accounted for a thankfully inefficient conversion, so that finished alcohols were not noticeably higher. Triage in his cellars, he maintains, was and will in future vintages remain "two to three percent," thanks to restriction of yields and meticulous vine management. Liger-Belair remains a proponent of gentle extraction but high levels of new wood. What I misleadingly announced in issue 170 as "a new negociant side of the business" is in fact an arrangement whereby Liger-Belair himself farms around 15 acres that had previously been tended by a grower who once enjoyed a share-cropping arrangement with Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair (during the long period when their wines were pledged to Bouchard). Half of the acreage in question yields Bourgogne and is genuinely sold as a negociant project, but the rest will be treated to the domaine's vine-papering, biodynamic regimen, including the horse plowing of whose revival they were among the earliest and most conspicuous proponents. Liger-Belair reminds me, however, that it will take time for the effect of this attention to be felt. Beginning with this vintage also, all of the Liger-Belair monopole La Romanee and all of their Vosne Reignots are estate-bottled, none being sold any longer to Bouchard. A Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet; fax 011-333-80-24-29-70
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 21 December 2009