1996 Vintage Burgundy tasting at WWWB

"[The senior partner] sipped [the French wine grower's Burgundy], rolled it round his tongued and swallowed it while the French principal sat complacently waiting for the expected praise. "Urine," he said. ...whereupon the Frenchman leapt to his feet, threw down his napkin and stormed out of the room. "Where has he gone," asked the senior partner? "Well, Sir, ... you did describe his Burgundy as er...urine."  "Fussy old gentleman isn't he? Pass the potatoes," said the senior partner.

--Douglas Sutherland in "Raise your glasses," a true story

This is another one of the tastings that we have been conducting here for pure scientific research.  We are here to tell you our “Wine Drinking People” the state of the 1996 vintage from the world’s most famous wine region for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  These wines are all part of a collection that we recently acquired and the most important thing that you can do after taking on a collection of wines is to open some bottles to see how the wines are drinking.  That’s what we call scientific research in the field of wine drinkerology. 

We also have an incredible collection of wines from the highly touted 1996 vintage from Burgundy in the store right now including OWC both 12 and 6 bottle size in one of the most collectible wines one of the grand cru monopoles of the Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tache.  These have come in their original wooden box OWC and have consecutive serial numbers.  If you want to try some of the DRC from this cellar come out to the tasting this coming Friday night and taste a bottle of the 1996 Romanee St. Vivant from this cellar along with 9 other wines from this outstanding vintage for a fraction of the price of most of the bottles on the table this evening.

Toni Lampasone will be making a special menu to compliment the tasting wines and there are only 15 spaces available for this event.  The fee is $295 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or email andy@winewatch.com.

1996 Vintage Burgundy Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar
Friday, August 25th
7:30pm

1996 Krug Vintage Brut Champagne
Price: $595.00    Sale Price: $495.00
Quantity in Stock: 19

(98 Points) The 1996 Krug Vintage remains one of the greatest Champagnes ever made. It is also far less expensive than either the Clos du Mesnil or Clos d’Ambonnay but equally as delicious. This bottle is stratospheric, with layers of explosive fruit that flow effortlessly to the multi-dimensional, captivating finish. It is another eternal Champagne from Krug. In the Cellar # 0711 Jul 2011

1996 Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots
Price: $59.00    Your Price: $47.20
Quantity in Stock: 11

1996 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Price: $195.00    Your Price: $156.00
Quantity in Stock: 12

This wine has an average cellartracker score of (92 Points)

1996 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Grand Cru
Price: $495.00    Your Price: $396.00
Quantity in Stock: 11

This wine has an average score of 96.3 on cellartracker!!  This very small Grand Cru is located in the south of the Côte de Beaune, at the top of the slope where Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet meet. The subsoil here is very chalky with many stones, well drained, and quite sunny, with a south/southeast exposure. The wine is fermented and matured for 15 to 18 months in oak barrels.

1996 Louis Latour Montrachet Grand Cru
Price: $475.00    Your Price: $380.00
Quantity in Stock: 5

Pale yellow in color and as always, the nose is very expressive and full with a touch of brioche. On tasting, it is a harmonious, rich wine with some tension. Notes of apricot persist on the finish, mixed with a touch of oak. This is a wine to keep. Vinification Traditional in oak barrels with complete malolactic fermentation Description The Grand Cru vineyard of Batard-Montrachet lies between the picturesque villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, home to the world's greatest white wines. Only a small country lane separates this 11.86 hectare vineyard from the great Montrachet itself. Its gentle easterly-facing slope is made up of a deep, rich, gravelly soil which has a limestone base, world renowned for the production of high quality Chardonnay.

1996 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Clos St. Jacques 1er Cru
Price: $595.00    Sale Price: $480.00
Quantity in Stock: 8

(92 points) Red-ruby. Explosive, multifaceted aromas of cherry, raspberry, tobacco, smoke, flowers, mint and earth. Thick but lively and delineated; the most intensely flavored of these '96s to this point. Bracing balancing acidity. Gives a peppery sensation of extract. Extremely long, subtle finish, with the firm tannins supported by sheer material. I'd love to taste this wine alongside the Michel Esmonin version a decade from now. 92+ (3/1999) Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

1996 Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots
Price: $129.00    Your Price: $103.20
Quantity in Stock: 3

(90-93 points) This dark-colored has a rich, fragrant, blackberry and toasted oak-scented nose as well as a marvelously concentrated, full-bodied, super-ripe, elegant, deeply rich, and velvety character. This wine has layers of intense and sweet black cherries, Asian spices, hints of minerals and grilled oak flavors which coat the palate throughout its long and persistent finish. (PR) (8/1998) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

1996 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos de La Bussière
Price: $195.00    Your Price: $156.00
Quantity in Stock: 4

1996 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Romanee Saint Vivant Grand Cru
Price: $1575.00    Your Price: $1260.00
Quantity in Stock: 14

(95 Points) Gentle at first, offering rose petal aromas, it turns quite savage and tough on the palate, with loads of fruit cloaked in the very firm tannin structure. The acidity is there, and the length is terrific, but it needs time. Best from 2006 through 2026. “PM Wine Spectator Issue: Sep 30, 1999

Menu
Goat Cheese and Beet Napoleon with Balsamic drizzle
Salmon Carpaccio with pink grape fruit and lavender aioli
Prosciutto wrapped pork loin with black truffle bean salsa

The fee for this tasting is $295 + tax, for reservations call 054-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com