The Girardin 2006 Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanee – from 40 year old selection massale vines – offers spiced apple cider, pineapple, and vanilla on the nose; comes to the palate creamy and palpable leesy density, but satisfyingly juicy and not at all heavy; and finishes with hints of apple pip and fruit kernel bitterness nicely accenting its rich fruit and chalky, leesy underpinnings. This quite forward wine should nonetheless stand up to at least six years in the cellar. I tasted a wide selection including all of the top crus of Vincent Girardin’s truly vast output (from nearly fifty acres of vines plus a wide range of contracts as negociant), the wines having been pre-assembled from barrel for my tasting (hence the wide point spreads). Girardin is at pains to press very gently and he did only limited lees-stirring in 2006. He favors 20, 30, and 40% new wood for his village, premier cru, and grand cru wines, respectively. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802.