1996 Morey-Saint-Denis Village

Winemaker Thierry Brouin believes the '97s have gained considerably from levage which he feels has rounded the tannins. "There nothing hard about these wines," notes Brouin. "They will be drinkable within a few years." At the time of my November visit, bottling was projected for January, a good four months earlier than the '96s were bottled. Very little sugar or acid adjustment was needed in '97. ("There was actually far more surmaturite and considerably higher grape sugars, at the end of the '98 harvest," notes Brouin. "Our fruit in 1998 went from 11.9% to 13.4% in six days.") Techniques in '97 included a severe trie less pigeage and a shorter cuvaison.