| 1996 Vintage: General Appreciation |
Compared to 1995, 1996 was a bountiful crop and weather conditions during the growing season and the harvest was in the main ideal. 1996 is considered a highly successful vintage though better for reds than whites. The best of the reds have excellent concentration with tannic structure and firm acidity but many may have insufficient fruit to cope with the structure. |
| Red Wines |
| In general the reds especially in the Cote de Nuits were picked at optimum ripeness and have turned out highly attractive with rich, concentrated fruits and have firm acidity and the best are still fresh. The top wines are now wonderfully harmonious and have just started their optimum drinkability and have plenty of time before they need to be consumed. The one problem is that some are just too high in acidity and the fruit has been somewhat emasculated. |
| White Wines |
| Initially, many commentators believed this to be one of the truly outstanding white vintage. Clearly they were plump and fat with rich fruits but perhaps even more so than the 1995’s over time this vintage along with the 1997’s and 98’s seem to suffer a higher incidence of premature oxidation. Though, I have had good experiences with a number of the very finest whites and some are still delicious now, care is really needed in selecting those that can still provide pleasure now. To my mind irrespective of the premature oxidation problems, many wines lacked sufficient acidity early on given the ripeness of the fruit. |
Best Red Wines of the Vintage
| Red Wines of the Vintage |
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Gevrey Chambertin: Chambertin (Rousseau), Chambertin Clos de Bèze (Bruno Clair), Chambertin Clos de Bèze (Drouhin), Chambertin Clos de Bèze (Groffier), Charmes Chambertin (Claude Dugat), Charmes Chambertin (Dujac), Gevrey Chambertin Aux Combottes (Dujac), Griotte Chambertin (Drouhin), Griotte Chambertin (Claude Dugat), Latricières Chambertin (Leroy), Mazis Chambertin (d’Auvenay), Ruchottes Chambertin (Georges Mugneret), Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes (Rousseau) Morey Saint Denis: Clos de la Roche (Domaine Leroy), Clos de la Roche (Hubert Lignier), Clos Saint Denis (Dujac), Clos de Tart (Mommessin) Chambolle Musigny: Bonnes Mares (d’Auvenay), Bonnes Mares (Drouhin), Bonnes Mares (Dujac), Bonnes Mares (Jadot), Bonnes Mares (Roumier), Bonnes Mares (Vogüé), Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (Groffier), Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (JF Mugnier),Musigny (Jadot), Musigny (JF Mugnier), Musigny Vieilles Vignes (Vogüé) Vougeot: Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui (Anne Gros), Clos Vougeot (Domaine Leroy) Vosne Romanée: Échezeaux (Dujac), Richebourg (Grivot), Richebourg (AF Gros), Richebourg (Anne Gros), Richebourg (Hudelot-Noëllat), Romanée Saint Vivant (Arnoux), La Tâche (DRC), Vosne Romanée Les Beaux Monts (Domaine Leroy), Vosne Romanée Cros Paratoux (Meo Camuzet), Vosne Romanée Les Suchots (Arnoux) Nuits Saint Georges: Nuits Saint Georges Aux Boudots (Meo Camuzet), Nuits Saint Georges Les Saint Georges (Gouges) Aloxe Corton: Corton Clos Rognet (Meo Camuzet) Pommard: Pommard Clos des Epeneaux (Comte Armand) Volnay: Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or (Pousse d’Or), Volnay Clos des Ducs (Marquis d’Angerville), Volnay Santenots (Domaine Leroy), Volnay Santenots de Milieu (Lafon) |
Best White Wines of the Vintage
| White Wines of the Vintage |
| Meursault: Meursault (Coche Dury), Meursault Les Charmes (Lafon), Meursault Les Perrieres (Lafon)
Puligny Montrachet: Bienvenues Batard Montrachet (Louis Carillon), Bienvenues Batard Montrachet (Domaine Leflaive), Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles (Jadot), ChevalierMontrachet (Domaine Leflaive), Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles (Jadot), Montrachet (Bouchard), Montrachet (Marquis de Laguiche/Drouhin), Montrachet (Domaine Leflaive), Puligny Montrachet Les Combettes (Domaine Leflaive), Puligny Montrachet Les Enseignères (Coche Dury) Chassagne Montrachet: Batard Montrachet (Jean-Noel Gagnard) |
