1996 Domaine Jacques Prieur Musigny Grand Cru

One of the greatest wines of the '96 red Burgundy vintage. Magnificent and multilayered, this full-bodied grand cru delivers mind-boggling complexity, marrying ripe plum, licorice and blackberry character with--and this is the beauty of it--masses of terroir-driven mineral, iron and wet earth. Delicious now, but has the stuffing to last. *Cellar Selection* (PM)

This is quite deeply colored for a '96 and evidences no bricking after 13 years. Perhaps the best part of this wine is the nose, which is warm, inviting, seductive and gorgeously complex with abundant spice notes and really lovely elegance though there is also much to be said for the rich and phenolically ripe flavors that coat the palate with velvet on the broad and surprisingly round finish. I say surprisingly because there was none of the typical '96 edginess or green acidity and while this will certainly continue to hold, I would be drinking this now and over the next ten years. An excellent wine in the context of a variable vintage. Tasted twice with similar notes. (AM)