Another wine from the Giroud family holdings, Camille Giroud's 2006 Beaune Les Cras is the firmest and grainiest of the Beaune crus in its collection, yet its admirable concentration of meat and black fruits, wreathed in smoky black tea and underlain by wet stone and chalk, lead to a long if stern finish. It should reward holding back for a couple of years, and should prove worth revisiting for several years thereafter. David Croix racked his 2006s into tank earlier than normal in an attempt to preserve the maximum of fruit. (For details about the recent revival of Camille Giroud and about David Croix's approach, readers are referred to reports in issues 160 and 170 respectively. A Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs was too reduced from tank when I last tasted it to adequately access, but it definitely displayed potential and reflected its old vines of a tiny-berried selection; while a Clos Vougeot from purchased fruit was stuck in protracted malo.) A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet (various importers); fax 011-333-80-24-29-70