1996 - Chambertin Grand Cru, Armand Rousseau

The 1996 Chambertin Grand Cru, a vintage that I have drunk three or four times previously, shows modest bricking on the rim. It has a gorgeous bouquet with decayed red fruit, roasted chestnut, undergrowth and a touch of wild mint. There is something effortless about the aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that have softened in recent years. Open and expressive with a perfect bead of acidity, there is a judicious touch of spice and scintillate of greenness interlaced on the finish. After 26-years, this 1996 is reaching its peak, but the acidic spine suggests it will stay there for many years. Tasted at the Rousseau Chambertin vertical at La Vienne.