1996 Chateau Canon-la-Gaffelliere

[TheEngineer]

The more I'm lucky enough to taste the 1996, the more I worry about them. This is yet another in the line of wines that are becoming a bit more typical of my tasting notes for 1996.

(1) Good structure
(2) Still a bit reserved
(3) is there anymore in there??

Others with more faith than me say that it might be like the 1986's which are truly starting to relax now...of course your truly could not buy liquour back in those ancient days so I've not tasted many. For that you'd need WW and KC to fill in the spaces..... So I don't have any history to be able to say that there will be better days. I mean, these wines are already 18 years old..... but that's what wisdom is for.

Anyways, I did not decant this (for the articles coming out now in Decanter) nice backbone and good structure are first and foremost. Berries, a bit of tobacco, very traditional bordeaux, nothing flamboyant. This wine is the good boy in the family photo, all dressed up in a two pieces suit and tie with perfect hair, butyou get no sense of who he might be. You get a sense that there is also still potential to age but am not sure what will come out of the other side. Is it time to drink them now? or just be a bit more patience....I don't know.

[winoweenie]

I didn't get too far into the 96 vintage as I was smitten with the 95s and went all out on them. This Ch. makes fine juice and I'd think the real development is still to come. WW