From small estate acreage (in Chardonnay as well) in and above the cru Champs-Pimonts, and utilizing an appellation one seldom encounters, the Drouhin red 2006 Cote de Beaune is scented with ripe red fruits and hints of underbrush. A lactic, creamy, soothing palate contrasts with chewy hints of berry skin so that there is still a crisp edge and plenty of refreshment to the persistent finish, if less richness and charm than displayed by the corresponding Bourgogne Vero. I would plan on enjoying this within the next couple of years. "I was skeptical when the harvest came," says Philippe Drouhin about 2006, "because the weather had been so hectic; we had to sort the grapes; and it was not as nice as '05. But the more I tasted the '06s in the course of the year, the more I liked them." Winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac says he was hyper-cautious about avoiding the extraction of bitterness or under-ripeness, and employed vendange entier (whole clusters with stems) on a significant share of the grands (and top premiers) crus, but only in conjunction with rigorous table-sorting. Most came in at 13-13.5% potential alcohol. The wines were bottled about as early as they ever have been at Drouhin, to preserve and avoid drying out the fruit. (Just as elsewhere in this report, I have frequently indicated in my tasting note whether the source of grapes is the family's domaine or contract fruit, but have not attempted to reflect this as part of the descriptions used to identify the wines.) Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770