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Drinkability

Pinot Noir the mystery wine, so expressive of terroir
and yet so enigmatic and transparent. Connoisseurs who have been drinking it for years are still
confused about what Pinot Noir is supposed to be. But when it is right, it is better than wine should legally be.

Ripe cherries, soft ripened cheese and mushroom form the first impression in the aromas. Light in entry but with weight developing at mid-palate, the '96 is kind of a chameleon of lightness with density. Long and spicy in the aftertaste, is this Chambolle Musigny or Mount Eden?

Drinking well now, expect further complexity for another 2-5 years.


 
Robert Parker Jr.'s Wine Advocate 12/23/98  

90 "The 1996 Pinot Noir is reminiscent of a good Beaune or Volnay premier cru. Bright jammy, strawberry, and fruit flavors are interwined with spicy oak and minerals. Elegant and medium-bodied, with total harmony, this beautifully rendered Pinot Noir should drink well for 5-7 years."