1996 Vosne Romanee

This wine is medium-to-dark ruby-colored and revealing sweet blackberries, roses, violets, and Asian spices on the nose, this intense, fat, broad-shouldered, full-bodied offering is crammed with super-ripe fruits. Layers of candied raspberries, cassis, cherries, and stones are discernable in this mouth-coating, highly-structured, and firm beauty. It is presently lacking harmony, but I am confident its components will come together. It should be at its peak between 2001 and 2006. Philippe and Vincent Lecheneaut produce wines that resemble them - strong, muscular, and expressive. In the past I have described certain wines as being like ballerinas, well-known actresses, football players, etc. These are rugby players, strong, rough (at first), but explosive, with considerable stamina (staying power). I tasted these wines twice, once in November, 1997, and then again in late January, 1998. At my first tasting the wines were quite backward, oaky, and tannic but two and a half months later they had softened while still displaying loads of fruit. Some of these wines are worth making every effort to locate. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083.