1996 Nuits St Georges

This medium-to-dark ruby-colored wine (produced from Bas de Combe, just below Aux Boudots and bordering Vosne's Les Chaumes and Aux Reas to the north and east) offers a perfume and violet-laden nose as well as an extracted, concentrated, gorgeously ripe, and lip-smackingly delicious character filled with candied red fruits. Its long finish reveals loads of soft, round tannins that should easily melt away with cellaring. Drink this beautiful example of a Nuits "village" wine between 2000 and 2004. The Domaine des Perdrix, recently purchased by Bertrand Devillard (the director of Maison Antonin Rodet) and his wife, markets its wines through Rodet's sales network. I was impressed with the estate's 1996s. The dazzling Echezeaux is one of the finest examples I have tasted from that grand cru vineyard. Importers: William Deutsch and Sons, Ltd., Armonk, NY; tel (914) 273-1221; fax (914) 273-1291, and Winesellers Ltd., Skokie, IL; tel (847) 679-0121; fax (847) 679-2017.