1996 Meursault

A bit oxidised on the nose. Just a tad flat. The acid comes out on the end. Hard work on the end. (JR)

Produced from vines located in En La Barre, En Luraule, and Charmes, the Meursault reveals mouth-watering hazelnut, toast, and mineral aromatics. On the palate, this medium-bodied, rich, lively, bright, and silky wine has ripe apple, stone, nut, and tangy citrus flavors. It should be at its best between 1999 and 2003. The rating, with the range of scores in parentheses, indicates the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Dominique Lafon performed more batonnage than usual on his 1996s, "to give them more richness," he said. However, unlike some other vignerons, Lafon abandons the practice when the malos start because he wants his wines to be protected by the carbon dioxide gas that is a by product of a wine's malo-lactic fermentation. Lafon's yields were between 35 and 45 hectoliters/hectare, demonstrating his dedication to quality in this potentially high-yielding vintage. Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.