One of the greatest wines of the vintage with one of the most complex and stunning panoply of still youthful pinot fruit aromas I have ever experienced. Still almost completely primary and pristine, with the same vinous purity yet even more elegance and intensity plus notes of ripe earth, bitter chocolate hints and anise. Superbly intense, full, sharply focused, big, broad and deep flavors that are not especially dense but lead to a finish that simply goes on and on. Classy juice and this rivals the '93 and the '91 for wines for the decade honors chez Rousseau. Simply terrific. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes. Allen Meadows, Burghound May28,2008
Allen Meadows, BurghoundScore: 95/100
This wine reveals a dark ruby color and mouth-watering aromas of smoked pork, bacon, juicy blackberries, road tar, raw meat, and a hint of eucalyptus. This block-buster is big, broad, dense, concentrated and complete. It is oily textured, full-bodied, and offers sublime layers of candied black raspberries, blueberries, violets, lilies, fresh herbs, Asian spices, leather, stones, smoke, and toast. This formidably structured and profound wine demands patience. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018. Bravo! As far as the 1996 vintage is concerned, Rousseau's comments were bluntly candid - the North wind is concentration. It saves a harvest, prevents rot, concentrates color and sugar, concentrates everything we want. 1996 is better than 1990, it may be too early to say, but there, I said it. With that, Rousseau picked up one of the tastevins hanging on the wall (these are the small, wide, shallow, and traditional silver utensils used for tasting. As far as I know he is the only Burgundian who continues to use them on a regular basis), and the tasting began. Pierre Rovani, Wine Advocate # 118
The Wine AdvocateScore: 94-96/100
This wine reveals a dark ruby color and mouth-watering aromas of smoked pork, bacon, juicy blackberries, road tar, raw meat, and a hint of eucalyptus. This block-buster is big, broad, dense, concentrated and complete. It is oily textured, full-bodied, and offers sublime layers of candied black raspberries, blueberries, violets, lilies, fresh herbs, Asian spices, leather, stones, smoke, and toast. This formidably structured and profound wine demands patience. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018. Bravo! Aug 1998, www.robertparker.com
Pierre RovaniScore: 94-96/100
Burgundy / France