1996 Vosne Romanee Champs Perdrix

This medium-to-dark ruby-colored wine is produced from an old vine parcel on the steep hill that overlooks Vosne's world-famous grand crus. It offers a mouth-watering nose of violets and black cherries drenched in bacon fat and a velvety, medium-to-full-bodied, fresh, and beautifully balanced character filled with salt pork, juniper berry, and black berry flavors. Projected maturity: 1999-2004. Bruno Clair described this vintage as abundant (he says his Marsannays averaged 40-45 hectoliters/hectare and his other vineyards averaged yields in the 35-40 h/h range) and perfectly healthy as not a trace of rot was spotted. He went on to say that his '96s have as much as 4 grams per liter of acid, the highest level he has ever seen in Burgundy. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel (205) 980-8802.