1996 La Dominique

Interesting aromas of roasted chestnuts and berries. Medium-bodied, with soft tannins and a roasted oak and berry aftertaste. Would be better with more fruit at midpalate, but still well done. Best after 1999. James Suckling, Wine Spectator 1999

This smoky, lavishly-oaked wine reveals an impressive dark ruby/purple color. The nose offers up plenty of pain grille along with black cherries, raspberries, and dried herbs and smoke. The wine provides sweet fruit on the attack, low acidity, medium body, and a nicely-textured finish with fat/glycerin in evidence. Prior to bottling, I noted some astringency and awkward tannin, but neither were noticeable on the three separate occasions I had the wine out of bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2012. Apr 1999, www.robertparker.com

Good red-ruby color. Blackberry, plum, raspberry, toffee, mocha, leather and mint on the nose, plus a note of oak char. At once lusher and livelier than the '97, with more structure and persistence. Palate perked up by a note of licorice. But the dusty tannins here are currently a bit overbearing.