Vosne-Romanée 2006, Gros Frère & Soeur

Procured from the domaine in 2009 this bottle has languished in my cellar for years because I struggled to understand the 2006 vintage. A plump and ripe year it lacked balance and many bottles had a flat bouquet. Le Guide Hachette rates 2006 as 14/20 which makes sense. But it also rates 2008 as 14/20 which makes sense if all you care about is fruit and ripeness rather than complexity, longevity and terroir typicity. I believe most vignerons would rate 2008 as 18/20. Light to medium red colour, transparent and showing a foxy-orange rim. A bouquet of ripe plum, cherry and strawberry. Hint of white rum. Rye bread, sweet aniseed, brown suede shoes, dried Chinese plums, clove. Balanced, strawberry and raspberry, light to medium body. Dry finish turning to umami. Not mummified but there is a pharaonic finger dipped in embalming fluid. For a 13 year old Vosne this has aged well and is very engaging. Definitely over the hill but faultless in itself. Scores 79/100.