I was less impressed with the 1996 Cote Rotie La Mordoree from bottle than I was from cask. Michel Chapoutier still believes it is one of the finest examples he has produced but agrees that the high acidity has left everything in the wine compressed. It is certainly an outstanding offering but it will require 5-7 years of patience. Made from microscopic yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare it exhibits a saturated purple color and a reticent but promising nose of toasty new oak cassis black olives and smoked game. In the mouth the wine is medium to full-bodied and dense but the high acidity and compressed tightly-knit style make it difficult to penetrate. The finish is long but the wine is backward and unyielding. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.