Offering a medium-to-dark ruby color and a well-defined, elegant, black cherry and mineral-scented nose, this is a lovely, refined, harmonious, velvety-textured, and medium-to-full-bodied wine. Sweet and juicy black cherries intermingled with minerals and earth tones can be found in its complex flavor profile. This is one of those red Burgundies that will be fabulous upon release. I suggest drinking it between now and 2005. Ever since Dominique Lafon assumed control of the domaine in 1987, he has been reclaiming its vineyards, many of which had been leased in long-term metayage agreements (whereby the vigneron provides a percentage of the wine produced to the vineyard owner as payment). In 1993 he was able to reclaim the estate's Volnay Clos des Chenes. Dominique Lafon harvested his reds at 40 hectoliters/ hectare, his highest yields since the 1990 vintage. Lafon described 1996 as "the year of the fruit", commenting on how pure it was, with strong, solid skins that resulted in "the juice having trouble flowing." The grapes came in at 13% potential natural alcohol, and Lafon chaptalised them in order to extend the length of the fermentations - they are presently at 13.1 or 13.2% alcohol (in contrast, the '97s were harvested at 13.5% potential natural alcohol and were not chaptalised). Malo-lactic fermentations were slow, long-lasting, and did not finish until August, 1997. Lafon does not filter his reds and had no intention of fining them. Lafon's 1996s are the finest red wines I have tasted from this first-rate and highly reliable estate. Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.