1996 Burgundy Retrospective - The Fourth Session

This was the fourth of the five sessions. Six of us gathered at our usual spot, Clarity in Vienna, Virginia.

This was the best showing so far Although the wines showed strong acidity and were slightly lean, a lot of them displays very good balance and purity. All the 96s came from Bryan’s cellar. My sincere gratitude as he kindly offered all the wines at far below current market price. The wines were impeccably cellared hence amazingly youthful.

• 1988 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 98 Points

  France, Champagne

  Exquisite nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, tarte tatin, a hint of red currant, yeast, crème brulee, honey, cinnamon, smoke and limestone mineral. Perfectly integrated palate, beautifully layered decadent sweet yellow fruit, very fine medium generous mousse, rich and opulent yet energetic and detailed, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a seamless long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. It is fully maturity yet remains energetic and vibrant. Drinking exceptionally well. A great well stored example.

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Two Leroys were delicious

• 1996 Domaine Leroy Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Perfectly mature nose displaying generous sweet slightly dry red fruit, plum, cherry pie, cooked raspberry, a hint of spearmint, mocha, caramel, rose, soy, earl grey, sous bois, cool breeze and mineral. Fully integrated palate, nicely layered subtle yet decadent slightly dry red fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity, strong crushed rock and a long decadent red fruit driven finish with cinnamon and sous bois at the end. This is a really well stored example. Clearly expressing Leroy decadence yet there is a hint of pretty Chambolle via rose. Really delicious.

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• 1996 Domaine Leroy Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Medium expressive iron driven nose displaying ripe concentrated black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, sap, soy, sandalwood, sous bois, Chinese medicine and iron. Excellent concentration, packed black fruit, slightly chewy, bright acidity, strong iron, and a long sweet black fruit driven finish with a hint of Chinese medicine at the end. It clearly displays the opulence of Leroy but also the earthy expression of NSG terroir. Another ideally stored bottle.

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• 1996 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St. Georges Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Corked.

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This was the least favorite flight

• 1996 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Youthful medium expressive nose displaying ripe red and black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, a hint of stewed tomato, medium rare steak, sesame, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, packed concentrated black fruit, dense and rich, bright acidity, strong earthy mineral and a medium to long concentrated black fruit driven very meaty finish. This particular bottle remains incredibly young. Perhaps it can improve for another decade or more.

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• 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Coiled nose displaying shy crystalline red fruit, cherry water, sour cherry, strawberry candy, a hint of licorice, onion, soy, cinnamon and limestone. Fully integrated yet very youthful palate, finely layered shy red fruit, very lean and shy, bright acidity, strong mineral and a medium long shy red fruit driven finish. This is a bit of letdown. I am not sure if this will become more expressive by gaining sous bois and other tertiary notes with further cellaring.

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• 1996 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Perhaps the darkest and most concentrated wine of the evening. Medium expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, cedar, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, packed concentrated black fruit, unctuous, rich and dense, slightly disjointed bright acidity, good mineral expression and a medium to long concentrated black fruit driven finish. This youthful wine has slightly murky expression. There is no sous bois yet. This feels more like Dugat-Py than Claude Dugat. Perhaps needs time?

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• NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Premier Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Mareuil-sur-Ay Sous le Mont 96 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  More Rose nose than BdN, succulent yellow and red fruit, peach, apricot, cherry soda, pomegranate, apple cider vinegar, ginger, caramel, cinnamon, smoked salmon and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered succulent yellow and red fruit, rich and sweet, yet pure and precise, generous fine mousse, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long succulent red fruit driven finish with brioche and cinnamon at the end. This is a really complex and rich style of Champagne. Drinking beautifully.

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• 1996 Domaine d'Auvenay (Lalou Bize-Leroy) Mazis-Chambertin 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Gorgeous perfectly mature complex nose displaying ripe black and red fruit, blackberry, raspberry preserve, caramel, Chinese medicine, clove, cinnamon, sous bois, mocha and limestone. Excellent concentration, rich and opulent yet silky and polished, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long decadent black fruit driven finish with a hint cinnamon and Chinese medicine at the end. Drinking perfectly.

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• 1996 Domaine Leroy Latricières-Chambertin 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Another perfectly mature Leroy nose displaying decadent black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry, dehydrated raspberry, a hint of stem, caramel, black truffle, Chinese medicine, cinnamon, mocha and mineral. Beautifully integrated palate, layers upon layers of decadent slightly dry black fruit, rich and voluptuous yet silky and precise, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long decadent black fruit driven finish with mocha and Chinese medicine at the end. There is a hint of bitterness that is not bothersome. Excellent showing.

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• 1996 Camille Giroud Mazis-Chambertin 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Incredibly youthful but straightforward nose displaying fresh black fruit, black cherry, dark spices, a hint of cardboard box and earth. Excellent concentration, very shy black fruit, acidity is sticking out, earthy mineral, still showing coarse tannins and a bit simple medium long finish. It shows more like a village wine. I am not sure how this will evolve.

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• 1996 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Unfortunately corked.

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• 1996 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Very youthful nose displaying perfectly ripe red and black fruit, raspberry, black cherry, sour cherry, a hint of spearmint mixed with bengay, licorice, grilled cep and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated red and black fruit, dense, warm and round, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with spearmint and bengay at the end. Although very enjoyable in a youthful way, this can improve for another decade as sous bois has not emerged yet.

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• 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Youthful yet incredibly complex nose displaying subtle red fruit with a hint of black, blackberry, dry cherry, black cherry, Vosne spice, caramel, grilled cep, sandalwood and limestone. Perfectly integrated youthful palate, very finely layered subtle cherry fruit, perfectly harmonious, precise and detailed, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, very fine tannins and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with Chinese medicine and caramel at the end. It is drinking beautifully but can improve further. It is slightly lean clearly expressing the vintage.

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• 1996 Domaine Trapet Chambertin 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  Expressive nose displaying rich red and black fruit, raspberry, blackberry, sweet spices, a hint of cedar, tree bark and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of sweet red and black fruit, dense, chewy and slightly rustic, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, still a hint of coarse tannins and a long sweet red fruit driven finish. It seems a bit rustic, especially next to the Rousseaus. This can easily improve for another decade or two.

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• 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 98 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  Absolutely gorgeous mature complex nose displaying subtle bright red fruit, strawberry candy, dry cherry, mocha, caramel, Vosne spice, truffle, grilled fat, sous bois, cep, cinnamon and limestone. Beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered subtle red fruit, silky and polished, incredible balance and precision, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with a hint of Vosne spice and grilled fat at the end. This is a classic perfectly mature Chambertin that can easily last for a few more decades.

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• 2009 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Nice lemon color which is a good sign. Clean mineral driven nose displaying succulent yellow fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, flint, spicy spices and crushed rock. Excellent concentration, packed concentrated decadent yet energetic yellow fruit, rich and sweet, good acidity and mineral, and a medium long succulent yellow fruit driven finish. There is a hint of bitterness that shortens the finish a bit. Very good showing.

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A great time was had by all and some of us dinned for over six hours.