Ruchottes Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau 1996

The nose on the '96 Clos des Ruchottes is stunningly elegant with really dazzling purity of secondary fruit aromas that lead to relatively supple medium weight flavors underpinned by now largely resolved structure and bright but well-integrated acidity. As it usually is, this is quite earthy with a truffled-quality to the delicious, highly complex and impressively persistent finish. While there is no danger of this going over the hill any time soon, I would be drinking the '96 Ruchottes over the next ten years before the fruit begins to slide away. Tasted four times with mostly consistent notes.