The 2006 Volnay Caillerets Ancien Cuvee Carnot – from a parcel whose 1775 acquisition marked the inauguration of Bouchard – was also the picking that kicked off this vintage. It boasts the sweetest expression of ripe black fruits in any of the year's Cote de Beaune collection at this address, with scents of blackberry and violet segueing into a polished palate with refined tannins, sappy, sweet fruit intensity, and underlying chalkiness to live up to its site's name. A fine sense of animated interchange of fruit, mineral, and inner-mouth floral elements leads to a finish of lift and impressive length. Director Philippe Prost emphasized the importance of flexible and surgical picking (with a crew numbering upwards of 300) and getting his crop to Bouchard's battery of presses within two hours via a fleet of mini-vans. He insists that relatively little triage was necessary on the domaine vineyards (as opposed to those under contract) and the estate wines are certainly predictably stronger as a group. (I have generally mentioned in the notes that follow which wines are from Bouchard's domaine and which from contract fruit, but have explicitly noted this as part of a wine's description, only if there are two versions of the same appellation within the present portfolio.) The fruit was crushed very gently and the wines racked only once – at 10-14 months, than usual – explains Prost, in order to guard against exposed or drying tannins, a policy which my tastings suggest was generally successful. Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6767

The richness of the fruit from Caillerets is so evident in this scrumptious wine. With its big, bold black fruits, it has sweetness, a soft, generous texture and evocative perfumes. It is so delicious and ready to drink now, that even the acidity that shows through has a hard time reminding us that this wine should age as well.——R.V.(12/31/2008)—— 93