1995 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru

"The '95s have more color, more density, thicker skins," says cellarmaster Philippe Brun. "It will be necessary to put them in the cellar and forget them, like the '88s." He adds that the '96s, with their higher grape sugars and lower pHs, will be for drinking earlier. I was unimpressed by a couple of the lower-level '96s (though, following late malos, some wines had not yet been racked), but at the top levels there are several potentially outstanding wines at this address. The best '95s are superb. All the wines reviewed below were bottled without fining or filtration; Clair style makes few concessions to current tastes for sweet new oak and early appeal but have a history of developing well in bottle. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)