It’s been too long since we have talked about this vintage but a friend came up with the idea of opening a few such bottles over dinner in Zürich – perfect! Except that I rolled over on my ankle while out jogging that day – which meant 7 weeks unable to run on the trails and a less than comfortable walk from the Zürich parking to our restaurant – sometimes you have to suffer!

The 1996 vintage – the short version

The 1995-1996 winter was relatively dry towards the end and this dryness continued into the Springtime. Throughout the Spring, the temperatures remained low – only towards the end of May, was there any appreciable increase in thermometer readings. So May was a mix of warm and wet weather – just as well that they had this rain as the summer was also drier than average. The harvest was a late September, even into October affair, the weather cold but dry. It was important to keep on top of yields – high yields were quite possible in this vintage. The maturities were quite good in the end but there was plenty of acidity in these grapes and thereafter the wines.

Throughout elevage the fruit in these wines charmed – but the acidity was clearly ever-present – of course, the wines became more accommodating with time but 1996 would never be the first choice for those with a dislike of frank acidities. 1996 has proven to be a slow-burner of a vintage, wines that have taken decades to become charming – and at least one in this tasting died before that was possible – but I’ve personally always had a soft spot for the year – unsurprising given that this was the vintage where, for the first time, I purchased case lots en-primeur. I’m, obviously, pleased to say that some of my remaining bottles of Gallois and Drouhin really hit the spot in this tasting.

This was, of course, the vintage where ‘premox/p.ox‘ became a ‘thing.’ Because of that, the whites from 1996 are much rarer than their red counterparts. We looked only at the reds.

The wines…

All served blind, sometimes in twos, sometimes in threes. Ignoring a Bonnes-Mares that wasn’t served (corked) there was only one (clearly) bad bottle amongst them.

Not my wine, but I have to give kudos to the 1996s of Grivot – wines that have aged glacially in a very structural style – yet for 2-3 years now, have simply blossomed – just like the Boudots below – and I would say quite unexpectedly, even their 1995s are offering much value today.

Enjoy:

1996 Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Cras
Broad, balsamic but attractive. I like the shape and energy of this – really vibrantly flavoured and of course, with plenty of acidity. Not in perfect shape but deliciously drinkable and I really like the structural shape of this…
Rebuy – Maybe

1996 Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
Here is a less developed colour and nose – a vertical nose with plenty of graphite minerality. Broad, mouth-filling, lots of energy – I actually prefer the shape and flavour of the previous wine, but this is clearly more aromatically interesting.
Rebuy – Maybe

1996 Gerard Mugneret, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Boudots
Hmm – here’s a fine width of aroma, perfumed and properly supported with a lovely complexity of age. The first wine where the structural side is quite young and strict. For keeping but it’s still in great shape for that!
Rebuy – Yes

1996 Gerard Mugneret, Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots
A fine but much more compact nose. Mouth-filling, bigger wine in the mouth, a hint of oxidation, structurally good, finishing very drinkable – indeed lovely – but possibly my least favourite so far…
Rebuy – Maybe

1996 Jean Grivit, Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Boudots
Also not a large nose but certainly an attractively perfumed one. Lots more energy and complexity – clearly the best wine so far, if still rather youthfully structured. Wide, some bitters and an attractive freshness to finish – that’s a super wine! Easily best of these so far.
Rebuy – Yes

1996 Dominique Laurent, Echézeaux
A very complex and quite menthol-inflected nose – interesting – in a good way. Hmm – A beauty in the mouth – so immersive, yet so strict, becoming a little more astringent in the finish – more like all the 96s were tasted 10-15 years ago – the pleasure and the pain. A wine still to wait for…
Rebuy – Maybe

1996 Thomas-Moillard, Romanée St.Vivant
This nose is past it – a bit lactic and high-toned. Not great tasting either – easily the worst so far (ignoring a not tasted, corked, Bonnes-Mares…)
Rebuy – No

1996 Dominique Gallois, Charmes-Chambertin
Hmm, now that’s really lovely – broad, incisive if perhaps the flavour and structure a little metallic-inflected. But a wide finish, with an almost elegant panorama to this finish. I found more excitement in a number of other wines but not the nose – this is aromatically top-level.
Rebuy – Yes

1996 Joseph Drouhin, Musigny
More aromatic dimension and even a little of the elegance of the last – aromatically, maybe the best yet? Broad, almost lush, mouth-filling, properly aged, ready wine – my Musigny? It’s anyway a great wine – bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

1996 JJ Confuron, Clos de Vougeot
Hmm, this is a nose that needs air – becoming more intense, more pure fruit in style with that air. Big wine, quite structural, but with a really great, velvety, texture. A broad, frank, middle and finishing flavour – Perhaps Clos de Vougeot or Bonnes-Mares? That’s another baby but really what a baby! I have a 1993 of this and it performed similarly 5 years ago – such that I still think it might be too early to open my last one of those!
Rebuy – Maybe