Assembled from tank before bottling when I last tasted it, Barthod's 2006 Chambolle-Musigny Les Beaux Bruns smells of wood smoke, brown spices, and blond tobacco, along with fresh cherry and rhubarb. The combination of tartness and slight tannic grip render the palate here somewhat severe, although there is also more sense of fullness exhibited by many of its fellow Barthod crus, and there is admirable concentration of spice, fruit, and smoky, herbal notes in the finish. This may smooth out after a couple of years in bottle, but I suspect some legacy of hail will remain, and I would be inclined to drink it within 4-5.
Ghislaine Barthod's yields were low not only on account of hail (notably in Beaux Bruns and Charmes), she explained, but also on account of the relative paucity of juice in the berries. That said, as with so many of the best 2006s, Barthod's are generous and largely free of tannic severity.
Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990