1996

1996 Ponnelle Pierre Bonnes-Mares

By billn on June 17, 2011

Medium plus core of relatively young looking colour. The aromas are deep, a little raisined plus soil and a low level forest-floor note. Full, slightly fat, silky-smooth texture – roll the wine around in your mouth and you will eventually feel some tannin which delivers a lick of bitter-chocolate flavour in the finish – a hint of astringency too. The acidity starts in a very understated way, but peaks in the mid-palate, decaying in tandem with the high-toned flavour. On the first day this wine is certainly flirting with me, but behind the smile is a strict upbringing – I don’t expect a virtuoso performance before it’s twenty-one – but it has potential! Day two and this is very composed and chic; a strong mineral note reminds that it comes from the soil – despite being dressed by Chanel – super.

Comments for this entry

1996 Gallois Dominique Charmes-Chambertin

By billn on March 10, 2011

Deep and vibrant – lovely colour. The nose has lots of maturity about it, and certainly plenty of complexity; depth, a little morel mushroom, also a little cigar-box that slowly morphs into cedar-ish hints, not unlike the of 2004 pyrazines but in no way over-powering. In the mouth there’s lots of intensity here; super acidity and very understated tannin – very long with a quite mineral flavour. Sweetness of fruit remains an undertow. You could get a great idea of of a mature Charmes by drinking this already – and that’s a very different personality to a young Charmes – but have no fear, there’s another 20 years of interest here for sure. Yum.

Comments for this entry

1996 Castagnier Guy Bonnes-Mares

By billn on March 20, 2010

Medium, medium-plus ruby-red colour. The nose is quite mineral, edged with macerating dark fruits and the faintest hint of brett – at this level it’s quite nice. There is still a velvet texture to the (now) medium tannins, and despite its age there is still more than enough fruit extract to balance the acid-led mid-palate flavour fireworks. It’s an impressive burst of power that leads you, mouth watering, into a very good finish. Perhaps there’s another 4 or 5 years left for absolute maturity, but this is very drinkable today, very drinkable…

Comments for this entry

1996 Hospices de Beaune Corton Charlotte Dumay

By on November 30, 2009 #asides

Still medium-plus colour, but it’s all a garnet-red now. The nose has a little marmite, brown sugar and just a little dried brown leaves. There wine is clearly based on it’s acidity, but a sweetness runs through its core, and boy, does that sweetness last – impressive length. The flavour is a little ‘beefier’ than I’d prefer, perhaps with a faint oxidation too, but the faintly grained tannin is 100% ripe and fading. Enjoyed, but I’m not sure about that oxidative flavour, without would have been an easy ‘rebuy’…

Comments for this entry

1996 Thomas-Moillard Corton Clos du Roi

By on November 30, 2009 #asides

Medium-plus colour. With any volume of wine in the glass, the aromas tend towards leafy, clean notes over a tighter, darker depth. As the glass drains the aromas first add a little raisined fruit before a very, very pretty red fruit comes centre-stage – really impressive. Slightly forward acidity – the 1996 vernacular – and slightly metallic flavours – the young Corton vernacular. The tannin builds as you roll the wine around your mouth – this is very much a 12-year-old youngster. There’s plenty of mid-palate depth that hints toward earthy flavours, but it remains reasonably primary. There’s almost ‘enjoyment’ here, but wait another 2-3 years before returning!

Comments for this entry

1996 Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes

By on March 31, 2009 #asides

The nose initially has a musty background though that aspect slowly fades to primary and nicely transparent red fruit, slowly it deepens and has a more obvious cherry aspect – very young aromatics though. Fresh, slightly forward acidity. Smooth, yet still with an undercurrent of velvety tannin. Nicely intense and even mineral fruit that slowly fades in the finish. Relatively open yet obviously painfully young – probably at least 5 years away from even some secondary development – very nice wine.

Comments for this entry

1996 Drouhin Joseph Clos de Vougeot

By on March 31, 2009 #asides

Like all these Clos de Vougeots there’s deep core of colour. The nose has width and high, faintly alcoholic tones but also beautiful red fruits and violets though you destroy the picture if you swirl. A mouthful of perfume, fine but forward acidity, little obvious tannin, yet a very long finish that is borne on the vintage acidity. If you give it sufficient time – more than 2 hours – the mid-palate really fills out with dimension such that the acidity is apparently more balanced. I winced, but I really enjoyed it. Day two the palate is fuller and less pain-inducing – even better!

Comments for this entry

1996 Grivot Jean Clos de Vougeot

By on June 30, 2008 #asides

Still medium-plus colour, now it’s quite ruby-red though still a slightly cherry-red reflection remains. The nose is super-deep, chocolate-coated undergrowth with just a hint of more volatile elements. Lithe – actually quite muscular – withfading velvet tannin and real extra dimension in the mid-palate. This has a super, chocolate framed, finish that’s borne on great acidity. Powerful, concentrated but balanced; even in half-bottle format this is halfway between an intellectual challenge and pure pleasure, so in well-stored, larger, formats I would suggest waiting at least another 5 years.

Comments for this entry

1996 Belland Jean-Claude Chambertin

By on July 31, 2007 #asides

The colour is a rather deep mahogany with just a hint of ruby-red in the reflections. The nose shouts of toasty oak when first poured but rapidly starts to show a super depth and even height of red shaded fruits then finally some floral violet notes – super complexity and quite impressive. After the 2000 Thomas-Moillard St.Vivant this is excredibly lithe, tight and acid-driven – it takes a few sips to adjust before calm is restored. There’s real intensity here and though the finish is quite understated, it is very long. You sense rather than feel the tannins due to a faint astringency, but they are very well behaved. Slowly the density builds in the mid-palate rounding the wine out more and more – I’d say this conservatively needs another 5 years to make the next step from impressive to excellent. This was really super value costing ‘only’ ~€50, I seem to remember the price jumping significantly for the 1999 vintage, today I’ve lost touch on the pricing.

Comments for this entry

Burgundy Report

Burgundy Report

Big Red Diary overview

Burgundy Reports overview

Latest reports:

Translate »

You are using an outdated browser. Please update your browser to view this website correctly: https://browsehappy.com/;