1996 Romanee St Vivant
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Tasting notes
Deeply pitched aromas of menthol, spice, sandalwood and ripe black pinot fruit leads to silky, rich, deep flavors blessed with outstanding length if not necessarily great elegance. While this is no heavyweight, it offers much to like with delicious flavors and a chewy finish that goes on and on. Note: that another bottle tasted several years ago displayed better purity and transparency.
Critic scores
Average Score
Pierre Rovani
Allen Meadows, Burghound
More reviews and scores
Displaying a brilliant, dark ruby with traces of purple color and an enthralling violet, cherry, raspberry, cassis, rose blossom, and grilled oak-scented nose, this wine is a stunner. This velvety-textured, full-bodied, superbly-balanced, refined, powerful, and intense wine is filled with highly detailed - yet explosive - plump cherries, blackberries, and plums. It is one of those magnificent red Burgundies that seemingly combine the muscle and strength of a body-builder with the grace and elegance of a ballerina. It possesses enormous depth of fat, sumptuous, and deeply ripe fruits that drench its substantial yet supple tannins. This prodigiously long wine offers red currants, raspberries, Asian spices, and new wood flavors in its spectacular finish. It should be at its peak between 2004 and 2012+. Bravo! Represented by Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel (908) 771-9082. Various Importers, including V.O.S. Selections, NY; Fedway, NJ; Classic Wines, MA; Glazers, TX; Vintage Wines, IL; De Gustibus Imports, WA. Also a Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42-65-42-93).
Displaying a brilliant, dark ruby with traces of purple color and an enthralling violet, cherry, raspberry, cassis, rose blossom, and grilled oak-scented nose, this wine is a stunner. This velvety-textured, full-bodied, superbly-balanced, refined, powerful, and intense wine is filled with highly detailed - yet explosive - plump cherries, blackberries, and plums. It is one of those magnificent red Burgundies that seemingly combine the muscle and strength of a body-builder with the grace and elegance of a ballerina. It possesses enormous depth of fat, sumptuous, and deeply ripe fruits that drench its substantial yet supple tannins. This prodigiously long wine offers red currants, raspberries, Asian spices, and new wood flavors in its spectacular finish. It should be at its peak between 2004 and 2012+. Bravo!||Represented by Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel (908) 771-9082. Various Importers, including V.O.S. Selections, NY; Fedway, NJ; Classic Wines, MA; Glazers, TX; Vintage Wines, IL; De Gustibus Imports, WA. Also a Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42-65-42-93). Wine Advocate.August, 1998