1996 Romanée Saint-Vivant Grand Cru

In November, Lalou Bize-Leroy was comparing her '96s to the '59s. 1996 brought fruit a bit lower in acidity than '95, but with sugar levels averaging a half-degree higher. The big difference between the two vintages, according to Madame Bize, is in the way the fruit expresses itself: the '96s have a vibrant fruitiness, while the '95s are more profound and powerful but also more austere. The generally copious yields of the '96 vintage were not an issue here: most of her plots produced between and 21 and 25 hectoliters per hectare, according to Bize, compared to 15-17 the previous year. Incidentally, Madame Bize told me I was a bit tough on her Cote de Beaune '95s last year. Of course, I am tempted to apply a higher standard to these wines. Let face it: grand crus that will set you back $400-$600 a bottle should give you an orgasm and wash your car. That said, when I taste from barrel in this cellar, I almost invariably come away with the same feeling: who wouldn't want to have a cellar full of these Burgundies?