Wine Advocate
par Robert Parker le 28/02/1998
An intriguing style of Clinet, the 1996 will be interesting to follow over its lifeline of at least 20-25 years. The wine exhibits an opaque black/garnet color. It possesses elements of what the French call sur-maturite (literally translated as "overripeness," but the word has a more positive connotation in French than in English), plenty of toasty, smoky new oak, and high levels of tannin. At the same time, compelling levels of fruit, extract, and glycerin are present. The wine is astringent and structured, with more of a Medoc-like austerity than other top vintages of Clinet, but there are gobs of sweet plum, black cherry, and blackberry fruit. The acidity is low, the tannin high, and the concentration level exhilarating. This wine will not be accessible young, as it will undoubtedly tighten up even more, and need at least 6-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.