Wine Varietals

wines

A comparison of two 1961s from Giacomo Conterno is next. Conterno’s 1961 Barolo Riserva Speciale Monfortino is, not surprisingly, deeper and more intense in all of its dimensions. Iron, smoke, graphite, leather and sweet tobacco wrap around a core of dark fruit in a Barolo that packs a serious punch, especially considering its age. This is a superb bottle.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 1961 Barolo Riserva Monfortino was especially beautiful and fresh. It offered a similar flavor profile as the 1958 with greater harmony and balance, if not quite as much sheer power.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 1961 Barolo from Cantina Mascarello (magnum) was masculine, powerful and impressively rich for a wine of this vintage, while the 1958 Barolo (magnum) fared less well. The 1958 can be a legendary wine, but on this night the wine was exceedingly evolved.Vinous Media | 95 VMIt had been nearly a decade since I last tasted a bottle of the 1961 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo and the wine has seemingly not been touched by time in the interim. Perhaps this most recent bottle was just in even better condition than the previous bottles I have enjoyed, but my projected window of drinkability for this wine back in the article on Bartolo in the fall of 2007 now seems rather ridiculously conservative. The utterly brilliant bouquet shows plenty of Cannubi character in its complex blend of red and black cherries, woodsmoke, gamebirds, gentle tariness, tobacco ash, spiced meats, coffee and a topnote of fresh oregano. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with a sappy core of fruit, stunning soil inflection, melting tannins, bright acids and stunning length and grip on the very complex and refined finish. Clearly, the last few bottles of this wine that I tasted were a touch more advanced, and this wine still has many, many years of life still ahead of it. A beautiful bottle of Barolo. (Drink between 2011 - 2025)John Gilman | 94 JG

The 1985 Fonseca is still youthful in appearance with hardly any ageing on the rim. The nose offers kirsch, sloes and Christmas cake. With time, there are subtle notes of dried fig and dates beginning to emerge and add to the complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced on the supple, rounded entry. It is not quite as complex as the aromatics, with dates and dried fig, the finish mellow and refined. It is very elegant for a Fonseca, weighty but supremely well focused. This is a fabulous Fonseca that is ready to drink now, but will age for another 30 or 40 years. Drink now-2030+.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMVery dark and youthful ruby-purple. Very intense aromas of blackberry and black licorice. Full-bodied and lightly sweet, with chewy tannins and a rich licorice, blackberry undertone. Still tight. Drinkable now, but it needs a few more years. ’77/’85/’97 blind Port retrospective. Best after 2010.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe best wine from a difficult decade for Port. Still youthful on the nose; gently perfumed floral character. Sweet, fleshy palate with gentle, berry fruit backed by peppery tannic grip. Dry finish. (Drink between 2014-2025)Decanter | 91 DEC

(Krug Vintage Brut (served from magnum)) This magnum was sadly the last bottle of the 1985 Krug Vintage in my cellar, but it was shared at a tasting to celebrate my fiftieth birthday and a very good friend’s sixtieth birthday, so I surmised that this must have been the occasion I was saving this magnum for all these years. The wine is drinking splendidly out of magnum and seemed a tad more generous than the bottle of the ’85 I reported on a year ago, jumping from the glass in a deep, complex and very classy nose of pears, apples, beautiful minerality, a delicate touch of almond paste, rye toast and citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very light on its feet for such a broad-shouldered wine, with a superb core of fruit, fine, pinpoint bubbles, lovely acidity and superb length and grip on the complex and à point finish. A beautiful wine. (Drink between 2011-2035)John Gilman | 96 JG(Krug Brut Champagne/Sparkling) I have had a number of bottles, even from the same cellar, that have been showing plenty of age and even occasionally flirting with oxidative hints yet this most recent bottle (from my cellar) was among the freshest I’ve had in a while with its intensely yeasty and toasty aromas of white orchard fruit, citrus peel, marmalade and orange peel. This is arguably the most complex vintage of the 1980s (though not necessarily the most vibrant or the most complete) and in particular I like the way that the mousse has managed to maintain most of its original vigor on the sweet yet ultimately dry finale that delivers very fine persistence. While this bottle was admirably fresh it’s clear that it’s time to drink up sooner than later unless your taste runs to post-mature characters. (Drink starting 2015)Burghound | 94 BHThe 1985 Krug was delicate, perfumed and lithe on the palate, with superb freshness and a more compact frame than the 1988. I came back to it often and never failed to be seduced by its mesmerizing personality. The 1988 Krug was decidedly more intense and full-bodied. It had everything; gorgeous fruit, acidity, texture and loads of complexity. In short, it was stunning.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Full-bodied, unctuous and powerful in the glass, the 1985 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano is a total turn on. Exotic spice, smoke, tobacco, dried rose petal, leather and licorice build into a heady crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. Although the 1985 is currently at a glorious peak of expression, I don’t expect it will improve much from here. Readers lucky enough to have had the 1985 know just how magical it is. Any remaining bottles are best enjoyed over the next decade or so.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 1985 Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva’s medium ruby/garnet color displays considerable amber at the edge. The intoxicating perfume of Chinese black tea, smoke, tobacco, cherries, and exotic spices jumps from the glass. The wine is full-bodied, gorgeously-nuanced, and multidimensional, with considerable glycerin and layers of flavor. It unfolds fabulously in the mouth, exhibiting remarkable intensity and complexity. The 1985 has just reached full maturity, where it should remain for another decade.Robert Parker | 96 RPGiven how many bottles of the 1982 Santa Stefano Red Label I have drunk over the years, it is surprising that I have seldom had the pleasure to drink the superb 1985 version, and it is more than fifteen years since I last crossed paths with this wine. It is a fine, fine wine, but not one of the legends of the decade of the 1980s from Signor Giacosa. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a nicely blossomed blend of red and black cherries, bonfire, a touch of road tar, lovely soil tones, oregano and a topnote of fresh bay leaf. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, complex and still sporting a bit of backend tannin, with fine focus and grip, a good, solid core and a long, well-balanced finish. This is a very good bottle that misses the extra dimension of the 1982 and 1989 versions. (Drink between 2017 - 2040)John Gilman | 93 JG

(Cabernet Sauvignon “Martha’s Vineyard”- Heitz Wine Cellars) The 1987 Martha’s Vineyard hails back to the time when the labels stated 13.5 percent alcohol, and in this most recent vertical tasting of the wine, one did get a strong sense that this vintage and earlier were indeed just a tad less ripe than subsequent vintages. This slightly lower octane seems to allow an even stronger signature of soil to infuse the wines. The 1987 Martha’s is a great, great wine that seems to have been lost a bit in the shuffle when it was released, as it followed on the heels of the specially labeled 1985. The bouquet is deep and absolutely stunning, as it delivers a complex blend of black cherries, mint, a touch of chocolate, Rutherford dust, pretty mineral tones and an exotic topnote of allspice. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure and transparent, with a seamless attack, a sappy core, and great length and grip on the tangy and perfectly poised finish. A great vintage of Martha’s that is a bit undeservedly overlooked in the pantheon of Martha’s Vineyard bottlings. (Drink between 2011-2050)John Gilman | 96 JGAll three of the 1987 Heitz Cabernets are extremely tight, closed in, and unbelievably tannic and hard. The 1987 Martha's Vineyard possesses an opaque, dense ruby/purple color, and a shockingly subdued, almost non-existent nose. Only after five days of breathing did the famed mint and eucalyptus nose of the Martha's Vineyard Cabernet emerge! In the mouth, the wine is rich, burly, and full-bodied, but also tannic and unflattering to taste. To say the wine needs significant time in the cellar is an understatement. Anticipated maturity: 1997-2010.Robert Parker | 90 RP

This is a floral and elegantly complex edition of this wine with dried meat and leather, iron and graphite, tobacco and dry spices. More elegant palate than the 1990, it has a very fine stream of red fruit and spiced cherries and a central, linear focus. The flavors hold so very long, deeply concentrated and focused. The fruit livens up at the finish and opens very impressively. Drink now.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, black cherries, Asian spices, and cassis. Full-bodied and concentrated, it is one of the most powerful as well as highly extracted Beaucastels I have ever tasted. It requires another 3-4 years to reach its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for at least two decades. (Many purchasers have reported bottle leakage (due to a cork problem) with this vintage. I purchased two cases of this wine, but none of my bottles reveal any sign of leakage. A good friend of mine, Dr. Jay Miller, owner of Bin 604 Wine Sellers in Baltimore, has consistently had a problem with “corked” bottles of the 1989, but no leakage.)Robert Parker | 97 RPPerhaps the greatest Beaucastel ever produced. Has the class and structure of a great vintage of Mouton-Rothschild. Deep, inky in color, with intense herb, plum, game and spice aromas, this full-bodied wine has an explosion of fruit and an iron backbone. Try the beginning of next century.--Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Best from 1995 through 2005. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an awesome wine with the usual Beaucastel meat, earth and game notes backed up by ripe, clean dark fruit aromas. The palate is stunning and shows considerable structure and a precise, almost angular character. Much more structured and precise in the mouth than the 1990, this has a long, beautiful finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(Châteauneuf du Pape- Château Beaucastel) I have always been a fan of the 1989 Château Beaucastel, which I rank just behind the superb 1981 at this fine estate. The most recent bottle I tasted of this wine was still just a touch youthful, but offered up fine complexity on both the nose and palate and shows excellent promise. The bouquet is a blend of roasted fruitcake, cherries, new leather, venison, incipient notes of sous bois, woodsmoke and hot stones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a bit of tannin still to resolve, fine focus and grip and a very long, classy and slightly chewy finish. I would be tempted to give this wine a few more years to really resolve, as it will be a superb wine and it would be most enjoyable to drink it at the same plateau that the 1981 has been enjoying for a good decade already. (Drink between 2015-2050).John Gilman | 93+ JG

A benchmark wine for Burgundy. Defines harmony and class, with layer upon layer of ripe earth and raspberry flavors and a great deal of refined new oak. Has a deep, complex, velvety finish. Best from 1998 through 2000. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSThis wine demands another 6-7 years of cellaring. Oddly, about three years ago it was giving signs of maturing quickly, but it has now completely shut down. The Bordeaux-like, saturated dense ruby/purple color is followed by a tight-fisted nose and flavors of black fruits, underbrush, minerals, smoke, and new oak. Although extremely concentrated, the wine is broodingly backward, and not fun to drink ... yet. This loaded effort should prove to be one of the longest-lived red Burgundies made in the last twenty years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.Robert Parker | 96 RP

The second night of this vertical gets started in grand style. Bruno Giacosa’s 1990 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano plays true to type. Powerful in the glass, with the soft contours and glycerin richness of a warm vintage, the 1990 possesses superb pedigree from the very first taste. Heady, intense and flamboyant, the 1990 is peaking today. It will hold for another decade or more, but I don’t see much upside to be gained from further cellaring.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 1990 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano reveals gorgeous inner perfume in a soft, sensual style. Warm, open and generous, the wine shows superb balance, with a purity of fruit that powers through to the long, round finish. I have a slight preference for the 1989 here, but would be thrilled to own more of the 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.Bruno Giacosa’s wines are well represented in my personal cellar, which was the source for the vast majority of these bottles. I have had the good fortune to taste all of Giacosa’s 1989s and 1990s from multiple sources over the last year, and therefore can report that these notes are representative of what readers can expect from well-stored bottles. I consider 1989 and 1990 – along with 1978, 1982, 1996, 2001, 2004 and 2007 – to be among Giacosa’s finest vintages. The bevy of Red Label Riservas in this article says it all. In 1989 and 1990 Giacosa produced an immense number of legendary wines. In fact, he is one of the very few producers who did exceptionally well in both years. In general the 1989s are a touch more layered and nuanced, while the 1990s are impressive for their massive concentration. If forced to state a preference, I would say 1990 gets the nod for its consistency from top to bottom, even if few of those wines reach the sublime heights of the very finest 1989s. Still, these are relatively small distinctions at this high level. Readers who have the opportunity to taste any of these wines should not think twice. By the late 1980s Giacosa had begun to move towards an enlightened traditional style with the introduction of the French oak casks he now uses exclusively. Fermentations and barrel aging, however, remained very much within the framework of traditional winemaking, resulting in a combination that was electric. Readers will note that many of Giacosa’s Red Label Riservas during this time were made in small lots (such as the 1990 Asili and 1989 Collina Rionda), and that for practical purposes those wines were aged in medium-size casks rather than large casks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Barbaresco “Santo Stefano di Neive” Riserva- Bruno Giacosa) The 1990 Santo Stefano Riserva has continued to cruise along as if time will never touch it, and in the interim of two years since I wrote up my historical piece on Bruno Giacosa and last tasted the wine, it seems even younger than it did at that time (though it may well just be a reflection of this particularly youthful bottle). The bouquet remains, deep, pure and youthful, as it offers up scents of red cherries, woodsmoke, gamebirds, road tar, herbs, a great base of soil and a developing topnote of orange zest. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and complex, with fine mid-palate depth, ripe tannins and excellent length and grip on the finish. This still needs a few years more of cellaring before it really starts to hit on all cylinders. (Drink between 2014-2050)John Gilman | 93+ JG

1990 was the first vintage (4,756 cases produced) and one of the most abundant before the replanting became essential because of phylloxera, and was again made at Robert Pepi. However, the percentage of Cabernet Franc jumped to 10% in the final blend. Mia Klein, who worked with Tony Soter, was part of the winemaking team. This wine performed beautifully, and had that Château Margaux-like finesse, elegance and richness. Beautiful blackcurrant notes, graphite, rose petal and licorice, were all present in this deep ruby/plum-colored wine that came across like a Napa version of a first-growth Médoc. It is medium to full-bodied, with beautiful, integrated tannin, acidity and wood. This should continue to drink well for another 10-15-plus years.Robert Parker | 95 RPStill young and firm, this delivers spicy plum and chocolate flavors; it’s polished, balanced and intense. Approachable now.--Spottswoode vertical. Best after 2000. 4,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

1991 marked the last vintage with Tony Soter and Mia Klein. The year was the most abundant in Spottswoode’s history, producing 5,852 cases of a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. Interestingly, this was also one of the great early stars in the tasting, showing that high yields can (when conditions are perfect – and they were in 1991, with a long growing season with plenty of sunshine, but no real extreme heat waves). This wine still has a dense, ruby/bluish-purple color, full body, a stunning nose of black raspberry, blackcurrant, licorice and camphor. The wine has fabulous intensity, full body, sweet tannin and a long, long finish. It is easy to say this has reached full maturity, but it still has a youthfulness and vibrancy that belies that notion. Look for this to continue to drink well for another 20 years. This is a great vintage for Napa Bordeaux blends.Robert Parker | 96 RPWonderful balance and orchestration of flavor. Ripe, rich currant, black cherry, plum and berry flavors are vivid and well-defined. Hints of olive, cedar, sage and anise fill out a very complex and sophisticated finish.--’81/’91 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now through 2009. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 1992 Dominus, of which there are 7,000 cases made from a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, and the remainder Petit Verdot, is an opulent, opaquely concentrated wine with great ripeness of fruit, and a huge nose of earth, black-cherries, mocha, and herbs. Full-bodied, with a layered, multidimensional personality, adequate acidity, and a super finish, this should prove to be another fabulous Dominus for drinking over the next 20-25 years. It is more forward than the 1991 or 1990.Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 1992 Dominus is gorgeous, bursting from the glass in a blaze of mentholated black cherries, loamy soil and forest floor, and following through on the palate with a compelling marriage of bright fruit and a supple, expansive texture. The cooler vintage has made for a great deal of aromatic complexity and capacity to refresh, without losing any Napa generosity. Delicious wine. Drinking Window 2016 - 2025Decanter | 93 DECVery deep red-ruby. Very complex aromas of raspberry, licorice, road tar, lead pencil and mint; a faint vegetal nuance adds to its complexity. Fat, supple, sweet and mouthfilling, but can’t match the ’94 for sheer substance, nuance or depth. Finishes powerful and very ripe, with dusty, substantial tannins and a hint of alcohol. This will age more on its tannins than on its rather soft acidity.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Dalla Valle’s 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a worthy successor to the blockbuster 1990 and 1991. Huge, sweet aromas of black fruits, spices, and oak are followed by a wine with great fruit extraction, full body, layers of richness, and that multidimensional, layered feel that this producer routinely obtains. The flattering personality of the 1992 has resulted in a more unctuous and voluptuous wine than even the 1991 or 1990. Moreover, it will have 15+ years of aging potential.Robert Parker | 95 RPIntense and dark-colored, with deeply concentrated currant, anise, pencil lead and cedary oak flavors. Continues to reveal exceptional depth and concentration, with a long, fruity finish and firm tannins.--’92 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now through 2010. 2,700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Light red. Beautiful nose, very youthful and pure. A vegetal note emerges with air. Packed with dense fruit and marked by a very firm structure of both acidity and dense tannins. The fruit is locked up right now in this massive, powerful La Tâche. Rather than open in the glass, this appears to close up, but have faith; this will be great.--La Tâche non-blind vertical. Best from 2010 through 2030. — BSWine Spectator | 95 WS(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) The nose evidences a slight floral quality, and a fascinating mix of earth, leather, tea and spice notes plus an interesting green bark component. The slightly austere, tannic, wonderfully rich flavors are dense, in fact extremely dense with excellent depth and terrific complexity and a finish that seems to go on forever. Though there are now hints of secondary aromas, this remains very young, structured and remarkably intense. When you get the right bottle, the ’93 can be a real stunner. Note: the inconsistency of this wine continues unabated as a bottle opened at the Domaine recently was almost aggressively vegetal and awkward. In short, when it’s good it’s very good but I’ve now had too many disappointing bottles not to be wary. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 95 BH

The 1996 Dominus, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, tips the scales at 14.2% alcohol. Although this offering lacks the power, intensity, and compelling characteristics of the 1991 and 1994, it is not far off the pace of those two monumental wines. A super nose of roasted coffee, chocolate, dried herbs, black fruits and kirsch is both intense and persuasive. The wine displays terrific richness, medium to full body, low acidity, a succulent, opulent texture, and superb purity. This beautifully made 1996 is one of the few wines that has successfully tamed the vintage's elevated tannin level. It should be relatively drinkable upon its release, yet evolve nicely for two decades. Impressive!Dominus's production has grown to approximately 8,000 cases of their flagship wine, Dominus.Robert Parker | 95 RPReally impressed how balanced and refined the wine is. The texture is so silky and beautiful, and the fruit pure, even more satisfying. Perfect to drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSFull, saturated red-ruby. Dusty black cherry, plum, game, woodsmoke, herbs and a suggestion of leafy cabernet franc on the nose. Thick and lush in the mouth, with the extravagant sweetness of the best '96s. This has good structure and grip, but there plenty of deep fruit to buffer the substantial tannins. This wine and the '97 were both vinified by David Ramey before he moved on to Rudd Estate.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is the first release of Napanook, the second wine from Dominus. It has lovely, approachable fruit in the red-cherry, red-plum spectrum; the finish is medium length and silky. It's tasting very good now, and should improve in bottle over the next three to five years. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and 13% Petit Verdot.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEComplex, with mature herb, currant, anise and sage notes that are reminiscent of an aged Bordeaux. Ends with a supple texture, fine-grained tannins and good length.--1996 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1996 Proprietary Red (a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) is not a very weighty (14.3% alcohol) offering. It has become more delineated with a year of bottle age, offering up classic creme de cassis, smoked meat, coffee, prune, and toasty new oak scents. Concentrated, with fabulously high extract, sweet tannin, and full body, this wine has an elegant feel on the palate, but is still a blockbuster. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.Robert Parker | 95 RPSaturated dark ruby. Superripe aromas of blackcurrant, minerals, licorice, oak spice and beefsteak tomato; a bit less flamboyant on the nose than the '97. Firmer and subtler than the '96 merlot, with superb flavor intensity and a more restrained sweetness. Finishes very long and firmly tannic, but the tannins are sweet and even. These are both great successes for the vintage.Vinous Media | 94 VMFresh aromas of ripe black cherry, currant and berry are enticing, turning rich and complex on the palate, with fine depth, balance and persistence. Impessive for its vitality and purity of flavor. The best of four bottles.--1996 California Cabernet retrospective. Drink now through 2011. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 1996 Le Pergole Torte, from a cold, late-ripening vintage, is powerful and explosive, with a compelling interplay of ripeness, sweetness and structure. Cherry jam, wild flowers, mint, sweet spices, menthol and licorice meld together in the glass, while lavender, rose petal, quinine and a host of aromatic notes come alive on the finish. Although striking today, the 1996 will drink well for another 10-15 years, perhaps longer. Today, it is truly special. In 1996, the harvest began on October 21, exceedingly late, even for Montevertine.Vinous Media | 95 VMI started off loving the 1996 Le Pergole Torte, but I ended my evaluation on a less enthusiastic note. The bouquet opens slowly with dark fruit tones and spicy notes of cinnamon and clove. Dusty mineral tones also appear as subtle accents with licorice and balsam herb. Its aromatic presentation is less yielding and fluid overall. The wine offers complexity and depth, but in a more monolithic and one-directional manner. There is little polarity here. The wine ends on a sweetly pungent note with candied fruit, canned peach and honey. It finishes on a heavy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPA seductive red, with subtle aromas yet a powerful structure. Medium-bodied, with berry, tea, tobacco and cigar box on the nose and a medium finish. Slightly mouthpuckering from the dense, silky tannins. Needs bottle age. Best after 2000. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A sculpted Champagne, with a steely backbone of acidity swathed in a fine and silky texture, offering rich flavors of baked apple and plum fruit, almond financier, crème de cassis, honey and toasted coconut. Long and mouthwatering, and still very, very young. Drink now through 2090. 1,500 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSCompared to the 2000, the 1996 Champagne Femme offers a touch more vibrancy and purity in a similarly rich, layered, complex style. Stone fruits, beautiful minerality, hints of charcoal, as well as a touch of brioche and nuttiness, all flow to a textured, balanced, beautifully long and layered Champagne that’s drinking brilliantly today.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne Brut) The 1996 Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne is a stunning wine that is now reaching its apogee of peak drinkability and is wide open and absolutely superb on both the nose and palate. The deep, complex and toasty bouquet offers up a classy mélange of apple, tangerine, pain grillé, a beautifully complex base of soil and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and toasty, with a superb core of pure fruit, crisp acids, utterly refined mousse, laser-like focus and superb length and grip on the wide open, vibrant and very classy finish. This is just a stunning bottle of bubbly. (Drink between 2012-2035)John Gilman | 95 JGDeep yellow in color the 1996 Femme de Champagne offers a complex, superbly clear, multilayered and fresh bouquet of cooked and roasted apples, citrus flavors, brioche, apricots, a touch of caramel and a hint of farmyard smell. Medium-bodied but full-flavored, clear and complex on the palate this is a stimulatingly and persistently pure, fresh and minerally flavored Champagne with citrus flavors in the aftertaste. Impressively vital and young this delicate but expressive Champagne is lovely to drink today but can be stored for another decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe estate’s 1996 Brut Femme de Champagne is really quite pretty in the way it balances some of the more mature notes from extended lees aging with the freshness of the vintage. To be sure, this isn’t a blockbuster 1996, but the Femme de Champagne offers plenty of class and elegance in an approachable, delicate style for the vintage. The rich, radiant fruit flows effortlessly through to the long, satisfying finish. This is a terrific effort from Duval-Leroy. This is Lot L9250N. Disgorged September 7th, 2009.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG