WTN: Another hit from Digioia-Royer

This is my third hit from this producer; two terrific bottles of 2005 Bourgogne and Bourgogne Passetoutgrain ( the latter my WOTY for 2008), and now this 2006 Chambolle-Musigny

Very primary. Rich, intense raspberry fruit, a smidge more oak than I would like but not "oaky". A load of tannin, but soft tannin, not stalky; almost Grenache-ish. A nice dollop of acidity- a delicious match for pasta with garlic & oil. A touch, perhaps, of pétillant, but it doesn't detract- it just tastes so young. A splash of rosewater on the nose (I just went to the Armenian neighborhood in Watertown, MA for lunch yesterday, so I've got rosewater on the brain, but its definitely there). Despite the focus on the intense fruit, I'd bet this would age well for the next few years.

This producer is making perfect burgundy for my palette...it's like a poor-man's Dujac. Can more people import/distribute this, please?

Bourgogne Passetoutgrain...my WOTY for 2008

It is important not to slavishly follow hierarchies. Nice.

Not sure I can say the same about your description of petillant oak-influenced grenache masquerading as Burgundy. But, different tastes and all

David,

I tried the Digioia-Royer Chambolle-Musigny based on a recommendation made some years ago on this forum. I gave about $48 USD for the 2004 version and I have to admit that I did not care for it. I found the wine tart and overly oaky. I wished that I had spent a third as much on a simple Bourgogne. I can't say that I have found a good QPR burg in the last three years. Sigh...

I gave about $48 USD for the 2004 version and I have to admit that I did not care for it. I found the wine tart and overly oaky..

As you know, 2005 and 2006 should be very different from 2004.

In general.

Not that I know anything firsthand about this producer.

Bourgogne Passetoutgrain...my WOTY for 2008

It is important not to slavishly follow hierarchies. Nice.

Not sure I can say the same about your description of petillant oak-influenced grenache masquerading as Burgundy. But, different tastes and all

Well, lets be clear here. Its a 2006- so I expect it to be primary. I think the whole "leaner is better" mantra for Burgundy is misguided. This is a load of raspberry fruit and floral notes, with lots of non-stalky tannins, and it comes in at 13% ABV. Its a village wine, so its not like it's failing to express a vineyard; and red fruit and floral notes is the proper expression of Chambolle.

I mean, I see your point; there is a distinct difference b/w the sappy style of Chambolle that Michel Royer is making and, say, the elegant Chambolle of the late Bernard Amiot. But I think both are correct expressions of Burgundy: and I prefer the former.

My problem is that I tend to compare every wine to the best example of that wine that I have tasted. In the case of Chambolle-Musigny I was able to taste the 1996 Comte de Vogue C-M Les Amoureuses. That was one of the best burgs that I have ever tasted. My standards for C-M are too high.

Didn't see this post until today. I'm one of several that have highly praised wines from Digioia-Royer in the past (in my case the 2002 vintage.) The 2002 Chambolle-Musigny was a fruity and floral village wine that drank like a premier cru. I've also enjoyed two other Digioia-Royer C-M wines from that vintage. And I'm in good company as Alan Uchrinsko and Claude Kolm (and I believe the WLDG Jay Miller) have also praised the producer. I have not tried the 2004 that disappointed Sam. (Also I got one bottle from North Berkeley and I think it may have had more oak aging than the ones I bought on the East Coast. Sometimes exporters do special barrels for North Berkeley in a more California style.) I took a bottle of the 2002 to a BYOB wine dinner in Raleigh and the restaurant owner, a native of Provence, took a sniff and called his wife over to enjoy "the beautiful stink." I took that to mean beautiful nose, smell or aroma.

Glad to have another fan aboard on the D-R train.