1996 Gevrey Chambertin Poissenots

This black-colored wine has licorice and cassis liqueur aromas that are followed by a huge, massively-concentrated, broad-shouldered, and intense personality. It is chewy-textured yet admirably focused with well-integrated and refreshing acidity. Even though this is a powerful and structured wine, its copious tannins are supple and silky. It can be drunk young, but should evolve marvelously. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2008. This wine hails from a little-known premier cru vineyard located west of Estournelles St. Jacques and just above Les Verroilles in the Combe de Lavaux sector. According to Geantet, this site is particularly cool and windy because the Combe acts as a funnel, guiding brisk air into the valley. He informed me that in 1996 the vines suffered from coulure and millerandage (respectively damaged flowering and stunted fruit embryos) that severely lowered yields. Vincent Geantet, a young man who appears to be in his mid-thirties, produces seductive, supple, flavorful, and immensely pleasurable wines. His wines (out of bottle) are filled with exuberant and lush fruit and are seemingly ready to drink. They are aged in one-third new oak (from a multitude of sources) with a heavy reliance on first year barrels, and are neither fined nor filtered. Geantet informed me that all had been bottled on January 7 by an itinerant bottling truck. Importer: A Daniel Johnnes Selection, Jeroboam Imports, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415 and Kysela Pere et Fils, Fran Kysela, Winchester, VA; tel (540) 722-9228.