Wine 2006

A look at wine from 2006

The weather in 2006 was characterized by contrasts in Europe, which has given the wines their very own expression depending on the region. In general, the year saw a warm start to the summer followed by a wet and cool August, but fortunately a warm and sunny autumn saved the harvest in many places. This meant that the winegrowers often had to sort thoroughly, but the effort was rewarded with wines of high quality and great complexity, just as wine from 1996 also showed strength in certain regions.

European favourites

Italy had a particularly good year in 2006, especially in Tuscany and Piedmont. The ideal weather in September and October provided optimal conditions for Sangiovese wines such as Brunello and Chianti, which appear full-bodied and structured with aging potential. The Nebbiolo grape also thrived in Piedmont, resulting in powerful wines with marked tannins and depth. Further north in Burgundy, the vintage is considered classic. Here the weather was more challenging with the risk of rot in August, but the warm autumn ensured maturity. The red wines from Côte de Nuits and the whites from Chardonnay ended up being elegant and fresh with a focus on balance and terroir. In Spain, Rioja also delivered complex wines in a traditional style that today show great finesse.

Taste and character

When you enjoy wine 2006 today, you will experience an exciting maturity, just like wine from 1986 can offer developed aromas. The Italian wines have retained their structure and offer intense notes of dark berries, leather, tobacco and mint. The tannins are still firm, but feel more integrated in the taste. For wines from Burgundy and Rioja, the expression is often characterized by the aromas that develop over time. A red Burgundy will typically offer pure fruit and soft tannins, while Rioja spoils with spicy tones and flavors of dried fruit such as figs and raisins. These are wines that drink superbly now, where the original fruit meets the complex layers of ageing.

Good advice for serving wines from 2006

As the wines from 2006 now have a certain age, they require some care to ensure the best experience. Older wines can be more fragile to oxygen and fluctuating temperatures, and there will often be sediment in the bottle. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of the vintage.

• Raise the bottle in good time: It is a good idea to stand the bottle upright at least 24 hours before it is to be enjoyed. In this way, any sediment collects at the bottom, so you can pour a clear wine.

• Decant with caution: Use a decanter to carefully pour the wine from the bottle. Feel free to use a lamp or a candle at the neck of the bottle so that you can see the sediment and stop pouring in time.

• The right temperature: Red wines from 2006, such as Bordeaux or Barolo, taste best at 15-20 degrees, where the aromas unfold. Ripe white wines should be served cool at around 10-13 degrees, but not ice cold.

• Be careful with the oxygenation: Although decanting helps remove sediment, very old wines should not be left for too long. 20-60 minutes in the carafe is often adequate so that the fine scent notes do not disappear.

• Stable storage: Until the wine is opened, it should be kept dark and at a stable temperature, preferably around 13 degrees, to preserve the quality as best as possible.