1996 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine-Collignon Grand Cru (Bouchard Père & Fils)

This wine is spectacular. I tasted it twice, once alone with Corcia, and once in the presence of Jean Tardy of Vosne-Romanee, and both times came away utterly surprised by the fact that it was a Mazis (it taste significantly more like a Charmes- or Griotte-Chambertin), and also at how closely it mirrored the style of Claude Dugat. This black/purple-colored wine reveals massively ripe aromas of black raspberries, blackberries, and dark cherries that are followed by a sumptuous, immensely rich, full-bodied, and velvety-textured character. Its wide, awesomely chewy, and concentrated flavor profile is densely packed with candied red fruits and hints of sweet new oak that coat the palate for minutes. While its power and intensity are truly outstanding in their own right, what makes this wine even more special (and Claude Dugat-like), is its awesome purity, precision, harmony, and elegance as well as its virtually perfect and supple tannins. As with all Hospices wines, it was transferred to its new owners after having been purchased at the annual November auction. I have no experience with wines of this stature being finished by Alain Corcia. If he succeeds in getting this into bottle uncompromised (he assured me that it would neither be fined nor filtered), this will be a sublime Mazis to be drunk between 2005 and 2015. Alain Corcia speaks faster than I can write. This would normally not be a problem except that my "information" notes on this block-buster are jumbled. What I am certain of is that four parties, Corcia, Chef Pierre Troisgros (of the stellar Restaurant Troisgros in Roanne - one of my all time favorites), and two others (one of whom is a cheese specialist in Roanne), acquired this Hospices de Beaune cuvee with the intention of using it to commemorate the thirty years that Restaurant Troisgros has had three Michelin stars. I also know that 6 barrels of unfinished wine were purchased (out of a total of 18 produced) and that each cost 40,000 French francs (roughly equivalent to $6,600). At this point my notes become difficult to sort out, including the information on the numbers of "eyes" per vine (2) and the fact that a sorting table was used. Since the viticulture and vinification are conducted by the Hospices under the supervision of Andre Porcheret - and not Corcia - I didn't pay close attention to his mile-a-minute explanations. Importer: Alain Corcia Selections (French Fax # 011-33-3-80-22-71-46).