1996 Red Wine

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, 94 points: (NM93-94 points) Backward and broody when first tasted in April 1998, yet lacking some charm. Tasted again in November 2003 at La Tupina in Bordeaux. This wine has really come out of its shell. A lovely earthy nose with...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, 90 points: Excellent deep ruby. Vibrant perfumed aromas of cassis crystallized black cherry Cuban tobacco minerals dark chocolate and mint. Thick sweet and concentrated; ripe and pliant. Lively flavor of crunchy berries. Lovely...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The 1996 Leoville Barton appears more youthful than the 1996 Langoa Barton in the glass with a healthy deep garnet core. The aromatics unfurl gracefully in the glass revealing briary, wild hedgerow, black truffle and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: The 1996 Potensac is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc. This vintage has quite a reputation, indeed, at 20 years of age it stands up as one of the over-achievers of the vintage. It has a...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: Proprietor Comte de Neipperg is doing everything possible to elevate this estate's reputation. Readers should take note as prices are sure to rise once the world discovers just how sumptuous recent vintages of Clos de...

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, 96 points: Tasted at Bordeaux Index lunch. The Haut Brion 1996 continues to shine as one of the estate's standout releases of the decade. There is something perhaps a little rustic on the nose at first, more "animally" than I have...

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, 95 points: The first bottle is corked. The second displays a very fine, cedar and tobacco infused nose: quintessentially ’96 claret. Does not quite have the precision of the ’05 or ’00 but more vigour than the ’95. The palate is...