1996 Chambertin Clos de Beze

A surprising amount of secondary aromas with slightly green, stemmy notes lead to intense, almost aggressive, nicely focused flavors and a long, persistent finish that displays a hint of bitterness and a bit of acidity poking through. There is good material here but this is pretty awkward at the moment and in need of 5 to 8 years to really round out. 88/2008-14 Note: this bottle had little in common with several bottles drunk in '99 and '00 as they were far better balanced and offered both better density and mid-palate depth and the rating reflects this difference. Allen Meadows, Burghound, Oct17,2002.

This wine was extroverted and boastful when I encountered it. This magnificent offering has a saturated black/ruby color and an enthralling nose of candied cherries, roses, blackberries, stones, earth, and toasty oak. It is full-bodied, velvety-textured, and unbelievably dense yet superbly focused. Fresh and lively layers of red cherries, clay, currants, and Asian spices can be found in this powerful, intense, classy, and persistent wine. It should hit its peak around 2006 and be cellared through 2014. Wow! Pierre Rovani, Wine Advocate # 118, Aug 1998

This wine was extroverted and boastful when I encountered it. This magnificent offering has a saturated black/ruby color and an enthralling nose of candied cherries, roses, blackberries, stones, earth, and toasty oak. It is full-bodied, velvety-textured, and unbelievably dense yet superbly focused. Fresh and lively layers of red cherries, clay, currants, and Asian spices can be found in this powerful, intense, classy, and persistent wine. It should hit its peak around 2006 and be cellared through 2014. Wow! Aug 1998, www.robertparker.com