1995 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

The Faiveley '96s were among the most deeply colored I tasted in November. "Getting deep color is not just a matter of extraction during vinification," points out Francois Faiveley. "Triage is of critical importance to the color of the wine: it is essential to remove underripe or rotten grapes, and to remove any possible sources of oxidation." Faiveley describes the 1995 vintage as outstanding but more austere, while 1996 "has always tasted good." The pHs were similar in the two vintages, but grape sugars were generally a bit lower in '96. Incidentally, fans of great white Burgundy should track down a bottle or two of Faiveley '95 Corton-Charlemagne, a worthy successor to the outstanding '89.