The Simmonet-Febvre 2006 Chablis Preuses (their only grand cru raised without barrels) offers melon and blueberry fruit laced with nut oils and that particularly sweet-saline savor associated with many of the best Chablis, particularly those of this cru. Richness of texture combined with a bright, “cool,” lime sherbet, fresh melon, and sweetly aromatic herbal complexion lead to a soothing, refreshing, and subtly mineral finish. This should be worth holding for at least 3-5 years, although there is no adequate track record for Simmonet-Febvre yet under their new owners and team. The 2005 Preuses – a portion of which was vinified in cask – like several of the Simmonet-Febvre bottlings, suffers from botrytis bitterness, fungal funk, and heat. Louis-Fabrice Latour and oenologue Jean-Charles Thomas presented a 2006 collection that displayed the opulent richness that one would anticipate from such a ripe vintage, and from the Latour house style. Sometimes these wines want a bit for clarity, definition and distinctiveness – occasionally they are rather obviously marked by dairy flavors from their malolactic conversion – but the best of them have much to offer. Since I did not have opportunity to include in my issue 179 report notes on the Chablis bottlings of Simmonet-Febvre – a domaine Latour purchased in 2003 (and which also bottles some lovely sparkling wines) – I have made note of them here.Louis Latour has numerous importers throughout the U.S.