1996 Volnay Clos des Chenes

The outstanding and dark ruby-colored Volnay Clos Des Chenes offers a wonderfully intriguing nose of mocha-covered black raspberries as well as a deep, intense, full-bodied, concentrated, and extracted core of dark cherries, plums, blueberries, and traces of earth. This wine is neither opulent nor seductive, rather it is serious, structured, powerful, and extremely well-proportioned. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2005. The score, on a range and in parentheses, indicates that the wine was tasted from barrel. Vincent Girardin's 1996s are generally fresher and more supple than his 1995s, but are not as concentrated or structured. Since he personally prefers softer styled wines, Girardin prefers the 1996 vintage. My feeling is that many of his 1995s will develop better over time than these delicious mid-term drinking wine. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel (205) 980-8802