In early January a Russian expat friend of mine asked if I wanted to attend a blind tasting. He was arranging an event for his Russian expat friends and there was still room for a few extra people, so he was asking his wino friends if anyone was interested. The only thing he said about the tasting was “there’ll be some '96s”.
Well, I didn’t realize it when I was invited, but Russian New Year is on the 14th of January, so unsurprisingly some of the Russian community in Helsinki were bound to have a get-together on that day - even if it was just a regular Saturday for us Finns. Even though we live right next to Russia, Russian New Year has never been a thing here and most likely 99% of the Finns don’t even know when it is celebrated or it even is a thing separate from our New Year’s Eve celebrations.
(And if anyone wonders, these Russian expats were people who have lived here in Finland for 10 to 20 years - some more than half of their lives; ie. these were not Russians who have fled the country after 24th of Feb, 2022.)
The wines were served blind and all of them were 1996. I understood 1996 had no special significance for anyone - the person who arranged the tasting just had a good bunch of 1996’s ripe for a tasting. We actually had a small blind tasting competition while drinking the wines - everybody had to guess the country, region and grape variety of the wine. Even though almost everyone in the group knew something about wine, I was still the only serious wino in the attendance, which is why I had given a handicap: my points were only worth of 1/3 of others’ points. Yet even then I managed to win the guessing game - but I guess nobody is surprised about this. 
Se even though I didn’t know this earlier that day, I wound up celebrating Russian New Year by sipping some truly excellent 1996 wines in great company!
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1996 Karp-Schreiber Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (14.1.2023)
8% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, luminous and rather evolved amber color. The nose feels vibrant, evolved and quite intense with complex aromas of lemon marmalade, some developed creamy tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light nutty tones, an oxidative sweet hint of caramel and a touch of dried pineapple. The wine is crisp, focused and steely on the palate with a sleek medium body and medium-sweet, evolved flavors of lemon marmalade, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light oxidative nutty tones, a hint of acacia honey and a touch of ripe orange. The racy acidity lends great sense of intensity and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and lengthy with a medium-sweet aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some apple juice tones, a little bit of evolved honeyed character, light steely mineral nuances, a hint of ripe orange and a touch of oxidative nuttiness.
A beautifully evolved, crisp and tasty medium-sweet white. Immediately upon tasting the wine I had two choices in my mind: either this was a German Riesling - most likely a Mosel - or a Huet with some residual sugar, maybe even a Moelleux. At first I was thinking about Riesling, but since the wine was so evolved and quite tertiary, I didn't get any obvious Riesling aromatics - whereas those lemon, apple and honeyed nuances made me think of Chenin Blanc. I ultimately went with Huet - and it was a wrong choice! Anyhow, this was a lovely example of a brisk, zippy Riesling Spätlese at its peak. Most likely the wine has arrived at its plateau of maturity many years ago, and in all likelihood, it is going to stay there for a good number of years more. The wine is probably not going to benefit from any additional aging, but it isn't going to fall apart anytime soon, either. Drink or keep.
(94 points) -
1996 Château de Fieuzal Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (14.1.2023)
12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Pale to medium-deep lemon-yellow color. At first the nose feels very perfumed with pronounced floral aromas - however these qualities disappear very quickly, making room for more restrained aromas of birch leaves, some lemony tones, a little bit of crunchy Granny Smith apple, light aldehydic notes of green almonds and a developed hint of cooked cream. The wine feels dry, structured and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of lemony citrus fruits and steely minerality, some tangy saline tones, a little bit of developed creamy character, light aldehydic notes of green almonds, a sharp hint of tart Granny Smith apple and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The high acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is dry and somewhat evolved yet refreshing with flavors of steely minerality and lemony citrus fruit, some aldehydic notes of green almonds, a little bit of tangy salinity, light oxidative notes of chopped nuts and a vaguely green hint of birch leaves.
A lovely, sophisticated and pleasantly evolved Bordeaux Blanc. My guess was an Alsatian Riesling that had developed some aldehydic green qualities with age, but it's possible that those leafy notes weren't actually aged nuances but instead just varietally correct Sauvignon Blanc notes. All in all, this was a quite enjoyable effort and otherwise not too aged, apart from those aldehydic nuances - which might suggest the wine really isn't built to last for much longer. Good stuff, but nothing thrilling.
(90 points) -
1996 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (14.1.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (53%), Merlot (42%) and Cabernet Franc + Petit Verdot (5%), harvested between September 23 and October 8. Aged for 12 months 100% in new oak barriques, then blended together and aged for another six months in tanks. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, somewhat evolved and quite opaque blackish-red color with a developed plummy-maroon hue. The nose feels instantly recognizable for a Bordeaux with attractive, classically styled aromas of wizened blackcurrants and woody notes of pencil shavings, some leathery tones, a little bit of forest floor, light autumnal nuances of damp leaves, a herbaceous hint of cooked bell pepper and a touch of pipe tobacco. The wine feels dry, silky and resolved yet moderately dense on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and vibrant flavors of ripe blackcurrants and pipe tobacco, some forest floor, light crunchy notes of crowberries, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character and roasted bell pepper, woody hints of pencil shavings and savory oak spice and a sweet touch of slightly wizened black cherry. The wine feels very balanced and quite structured with its high acidity and ample yet moderately resolved tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is long, harmonious and gently grippy with a quite complex aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some leathery tones, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character, light oaky notes of cedary wood spice and pencil shavings, a meaty hint of savory umami and a sweeter touch of wizened dark fruits.
A beautiful, harmonious and eminently delicious Left-Bank Bordeaux. Compared to the 1996 Sociando-Mallet I had two years ago - which was remarkably youthful, almost backward, for its age - this wine felt somewhat more aged, yet still relatively youthful for a wine +25 years old. It's remarkable how the 100% new oak doesn't seem to show in these Sociando-Mallet wines, but instead they come across as wonderfully savory, firm and pretty old-school in style. I'd say this bottle was a bit more evolved and thus slightly more resolved and accessible compared to the one we had in 2021, but even then I'd say it was still on its way up and would've had years more left before reaching its apogee. In a nutshell: Sociando-Mallet is drinking wonderfully right now, but there is still room for further improvement, so there's definitely no hurry whatsoever with this wine. Drink or keep.
(94 points) -
1996 Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (14.1.2023)
A single-vineyard Barbaresco made with fruit sourced from a 1-hectare parcel planted in 1968 in the Basarin cru, located south from Neive. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 18 months in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Evolved and quite translucent maroon color with a pale orange rim. The nose feels evolved and a bit restrained with aromas of wizened red cherries, some darker-toned fruit notes, a little bit of toasty wood spice, light balsamic nuances, a hint of old leather and a touch of minty lift. The wine is harmonious, silky and quite resolved on the palate with a medium body and harmonious flavors of wizened dark berries and ripe redcurrant tones, a little bit of tar and tobacco, light balsamic notes, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of toasty oak spice. The overall feel is firm and pretty structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and moderate yet quite gently grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is evolved, long and somewhat grippy with a complex aftertaste of ripe dark fruits and tobacco, some balsamic tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light earthy tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of oak spice.
A tasty and harmonious Barbaresco. Although there were some elements that pointed me away from Piedmont - like minty nuances in the nose and a fruit profile veering towards redcurrant tones - I still guessed this was a Nebbiolo. Basically the light color and nuances of tar and sour cherries were enough. My guess was a 1996 Barbaresco - probably a wine that had seen some smaller oak barrels - and it was correct. I don't know if Basarin was stylistically as modern in 1996 as it is now, but tasting it blind, I got a slightly polished, somewhat oaky feel from it. Nevertheless, the wine was thoroughly enjoyable with great sense of harmony and finesse. It might continue to evolve and improve from here, but I thought the wine was in a great spot right now, not really calling for any additional cellaring.
(92 points) -
1996 Kir-Yianni Syrah - Greece, Macedonia, Imathia (14.1.2023)
100% Syrah from multiple vineyards in the IGP Imathia region. 13% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 5,7 g/l acidity. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Somewhat evolved and slightly translucent dark black cherry color. The nose feels fragrant, moderately evolved and slightly Bordeaux-like with aromas of wizened dark plums and sweet black cherries, some loamy notes of forest floor, a little bit of wizened blackberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, hints of savory spices and a touch of cigar box. The wine feels dry, ripe and silky on the palate with a medium body and evolved flavors of wizened dark fruits and savory spices, some woody notes of pencil shavings or cigar box, light juicy nuances of red plums, a little bit of loamy earth, a hint of juicy black cherry and a touch of tobacco. The wine is moderately high in acidity with firm, still quite grippy tannins. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and quite evolved with a complex, savory aftertaste of gamey meat and ripe dark berries, some sweet red fruits, a little bit of peppery spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings and savory oak spice, a hint of forest floor and a touch of tobacco.
A harmonious and very attractive Syrah that doesn't feel particularly true to the variety. I had quite a bit of trouble trying to place this wine anywhere and ultimately I went with right-bank Bordeaux, as it I felt the wine showed quite a bit of Bordeaux markers, if anything. Well, apparently my guess couldn't have been much farther if we wanted to remain in Europe! Although I didn't get much Syrah-ness from the wine and it wasn't that obviously "Greek" in style either, I still found the wine very lovely and thoroughly enjoyable all the same. I'd say the wine is either at its plateau of maturity or very near it - the overall feel is relatively youthful for its age, but I don't think the wine is going to be benefiting much (if at all) from any further aging. Despite maybe lacking a bit in the sense of place, this is a deftly crafted wine that straddles the line between old world aesthetics and more modern winemaking. Solid value at 41,90€.
(93 points) -
1996 Château Léoville Poyferré - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (14.1.2023)
Typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3) and Merlot (1/3) with a little bit of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc in the mix. Aged for 18 months in French oak barriques (50-75% new). 13% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Evolved yet still almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a developed dried-blood color rim. The nose feels brooding yet attractive with slightly sweet-toned aromas of chokeberries and black cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light phenolic smoky nuances, a juicy hint of bilberry and a cedary touch of oak spice. The wine is firm, textural and quite open-knit on the palate with a medium body and complex, layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants and wizened dark berries, some crunchy notes of fresh dark plums and bog bilberries, a little bit of smoky phenolic character, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of fresh blueberry and a faint barnyardy touch of brett. The overall feel is pretty structured and sinewy yet not aggressive, thanks to both the high acidity and the firm medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is long, firm and moderately yet not aggressively tannic with an intense aftertaste of ripe dark fruits and juicy bilberries, some wizened blackcurrant tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light notes of tobacco, a smoky hint of phenolic spice and a touch of cedar.
A beautifully harmonious, vibrant and quite intense Bordeaux that shows some age, but at the same time still retains a remarkable amount of structure and relatively youthful fruit, making it feel like it is just past its adolescence and slowly entering its middle age. There's also a teensy bit of brett that seems to come and go, but always stays nicely in the background, letting the classic Bordelais aromatics and flavors stay nicely on the fore. This wine is by all standards an excellent 1996 St. Julien that is drinking really well right now and doesn't really call for any additional aging, but I'd say the wine's plateau of maturity is quite long way off and this wine will not only keep but evolve and improve for years more. It is really built for the long haul. Very highly recommended. With my guess I went with Bordeaux immediately, but for the appellation I went for Graves instead of St. Julien. Oh well.
(95 points) -
1996 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (14.1.2023)
Made with fruit sourced from the three prime Crus of Borgogno: Cannubi, Fossati and Liste. Fermented spontaneously in concrete tanks and macerated with the skins with the submerged cap technique from late October to mid-November. Racked into large Slavonian oak botti and aged in oak for 3,5 years. Bottled in May 2000. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Evolved, quite translucent brick-red color with a developed maroon hue. Somewhat sweetish nose with attractive layered aromas of wizened red fruits, some balsamic tones, a little bit of ripe red cherry, light evolved nuances of meat stew, a hint of earth, a floral touch of rose petals and a lifted whiff of something vaguely minty. The wine feels dry, silky and juicy on the palate with complex, somewhat evolved flavors of ripe redcurrants and wizened dark berries, a little bit of blood, light earthy notes, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of licorice root. There also lingers a faint nuance of something rubbery, but fortunately it doesn't really distract from pleasure. The wine is rather high in acidity with ample yet quite resolved and silky tannins. The finish is dry, firm and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and fresh red plums, some blood, a little bit of earth, light savory notes of meaty umami, a developed hint of dried cranberries and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A harmonious, tasty and classically styled Barolo that is in a quite wonderful spot, having developed some tertiary nuances and resolved a good deal of its tannins. However, it feels like the wine is still on its way up and it will continue to improve for at least some years more and keep just fine for another decade or two. Although the wine isn't as outstanding as the Borgognos I've tasted from the 1970's to the 1940's, this is still a lovely Barolo in its own right. Unsurprisingly, I guessed this was a 1996 Nebbiolo from Piedmont.
(93 points) -
1996 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Costa Russi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (14.1.2023)
I believe this was the first vintage Angelo Gaja blended his Barbaresco Costa Russi with Barbera (5% of the total blend) making the wine ineligible for DOCG Barbaresco. Barbera is used to boost acidity, soften tannins and add color to the wine. Otherwise the wine is made like Gaja's Barbarescos, ie. aged in French oak barriques, then blended and aged for a period of time in oak botti. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Dense, fully opaque black cherry color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and quite aged with sweetly-fruited aromas of licorice and cassis, some wizened dark plummy tones, a little bit of soy sauce, light gamey tones, a hint of pipe tobacco, a touch of wilted flowers and a whiff of tar. The wine feels ripe, dense and sinewy on the palate with a full body and intense, ripe flavors of juicy blackcurrants and pipe tobacco, some tar, a little bit of gamey meat, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a tertiary hint of soy sauce and a touch of dark plummy fruit. Although the fruit department is getting pretty aged and tertiary, the structure is still pretty tough and angular with the high acidity and still very assertive and noticeably grippy tannins. The finish is very long, tightly-knit and quite tannic with an intense aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and sour cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of gamey meat, light salty notes of soy sauce, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of toasty oak spice.
It seems that fruit-wise the wine has reached its plateau of maturity and those tertiary notes won't do anything but grow in intensity as the wine ages. Structurally the wine could age for decades more, but it feels like the fruit department isn't going to last as much as the tannins would need to resolve. I was surprised how remarkably Bordeaux-like the wine was both aromatically and on the palate. Everybody else went immediate for Bordeaux with their guesses - and I was about to go as well - but there were some elements that pulled me towards Italy in the end. However, due to the noticeably cassis-driven flavor profile, I still thought the wine had a noticeable Cabernet Sauvignon component, so I guessed a 1996 DOC Piedmont wine that'd be either a varietal Cab or a Nebbiolo-Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Well, it turned out that the wine was a "Barbaresco" with no Cab whatsoever! Even after the wine was revealed I thought the wine felt more like Bordeaux than Barbaresco, so even if I managed to guess Piedmont correctly, I really must admit I don't get that much sense of place or variety from here. A great wine in its own right, but feels more like a wine that speaks to people who like Bordeaux rather than Barbaresco. Will keep, but perhaps not age.
(94 points) -
1996 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (14.1.2023)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, slightly translucent and moderately evolved black cherry color with a brick-orange rim. The nose is instantly noticeable for an aged Bordeaux but with a slightly sharp and pungent undertone; there are aromas of smoky, chili-driven chipotle character and roasted game along with notes of ripe blackcurrants, some tobacco nuances, a little bit of beef jerky, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a hint of savory old wood and a ferrous touch of blood. The wine feels silky, textural and quite resolved on the palate with a moderately full body and layered flavors of ripe blackcurrants and gravelly minerality, some evolved notes of salt-cured beef and meat stew, light autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of blood, a hint of earth and a sweeter touch of dried redcurrants. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity, whereas the tannins feel surprisingly sparse, silky and fully resolved. The finish is dry, textural and silky with a long, harmonious aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and crunchy redcurrants, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of meat consommé and a herbaceous touch of chili or even smoky chipotle.
A harmonious and moderately evolved Bordeaux quite close to its peak. Surprisingly, this wine seemed noticeably younger and less evolved when I tasted this vintage seven years ago, and I thought it was a bit closed but it had a lot of potential for further evolution. However, now, as the wine has aged some and definitely evolved, I'm not sure if the wine has gotten qualitatively any better. It doesn't feel as closed, but the wine has only developed some meaty notes and evolved its herbaceous chili notes into more pungent, smoky chipotle tones. While adding some tertiary complexity, I'm not sure if I prefer them compared to how the wine was earlier. Furthermore, as the tannins have mellowed down with age, I feel the wine was a bit lacking in structure - the wine came across a bit more evolved and slightly underwhelming compared to other 1996 Bordeaux wines we tasted at the same time. Of course this all might be just because of bottle variation - maybe we had a better bottle seven years ago? Who knows. Even if this wasn't as terrific as the bottle we had tasted earlier, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable Pauillac with some age. While getting quite evolved, I'd say there is no hurry with this wine. Even if it doesn't evolve much from here, it will keep for a long time.
(92 points) -
1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (14.1.2023)
The blend here is atypical for Pichon Lalande, since they normally use quite high proportion of Merlot, but in 1996 they made a strict selection of fruit for the grand vin and a smaller-than-normal amount of Merlot was selected for the blend, resulting in an atypically high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. The amount of Merlot and Cabernet Franc seems to vary from one source to another, but most sources seem to say this wine was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (15%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%). Aged for 18 months in oak barriques (50% new). 13% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Dark, slightly translucent and very deep black cherry color with a subtly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose is instantly recognizable for a Bordeaux with quite sweet and distinctively perfumed aromas of juicy dark plums and blackcurrant-driven nuances of sweet dark berries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light spicy notes of sweet, toasty oak, a little bit of roasted bell pepper, autumnal hints of damp leaves and a fragrant touch of violets and exotic spices. The wine feels ripe, dense and - as is typical for the Château - quite lush on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of rich plummy fruit and ripe blackcurrant, some mocha nuances of toasty oak spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of pipe tobacco, a hint of gravelly minerality and a herbaceous touch of cooked bell pepper and minty greenness. The wine is impressively high in acidity with ample yet very ripe and quite powdery tannins that contribute to the rich texture of the wine and slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, juicy and gently grippy with a long and quite intense aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some woody and cedary notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral notes, tertiary hints of wizened red plums and meaty umami and a touch of minty lift.
A fantastic, complex and harmonious vintage of Pichon Lalande showing the hallmark qualities of the Château (rich, almost exotic nose and lush, supple texture) despite the atypically high Cabernet Sauvignon component. True to its style, the wine is very approachable and accessible, not really showing any roughness or angular character, yet at the same time coming across as relatively youthful for its age. I immediately guessed this was a Bordeaux, but due to this softness, plush texture and ripe-fruited sweetness in the flavors, I placed my guess for the appellation in Saint-Émilion instad of the left bank. Although Pichon Lalande might usually be a bit too lush, polished and soft for my preference, I must admit that this 1996 is a very fine wine indeed - one that is drinking beautifully right now but will also continue to evolve and improve for years, if not for decades. Although I favored the slightly less polished and a bit more rustic 1996 Leoville-Poyferré in this tasting, this wine was not far behind. A very complete wine. Highly recommended.
(94 points) -
1996 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (14.1.2023)
A blend of Sémillon (90%) and Sauvignon Blanc (10%). Aged for 18-24 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new, 1/3 once used and 1/3 older). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind in a 1996-themed tasting.
Deep, luminous and quite intense golden-yellow color. Very intense nose with a pronounced streak of saffron, followed by quite unctuous aromas of acacia honey and Sultana raisins, some tinned pineapple tones, a little bit of fruit cocktail syrup, light lifted nuances of minty greenness, a hint of dried peach and a touch of vanilla custard. Very classically styled Suduiraut bouquet. The wine feels broad, very rich and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and sweet flavors of saffron and dried pineapple, some overripe peach tones, a little bit of Sultana raisin, light oaky nuances of caramel and vanilla custard, a hint of spicy bitterness and a touch of honey. Despite its richness and somewhat viscous mouthfeel, the medium-to-moderately high acidity manages to lend good sense of freshness to the wine and keeps it from coming across as too sticky. The finish is rich, juicy and wonderfully complex with a very long and intensely flavored aftertaste of pineapple and saffron, some evolved caramel tones, a little bit of vanilla custard, light Sultana nuances, a hint of overripe peach and a touch of browned butter.
An utterly delicious, classically styled and so harmonious vintage of Suduiraut. Even if the wine is from the period before the Château started to invest in quality (2001 onward, I believe), it still shows the Suduiraut hallmarks of concentration and almost unctuous fruit yet being at the same time surprisingly fresh and balanced, not overdoing the sweetness, alcohol or just that general richness. There is great sense of balance and harmony here. And lots of those classic saffron notes of an aged Sauternes, intermingling with beautiful tertiary notes of caramel and dried exotic fruits. I immediately guessed Sauternes before even tasting the wine, and when asked for the producer after I had tasted the wine, I guessed 1996 Suduiraut. Right on spot with the first guess. An excellent wine.
(95 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
