On one of the three occasions I tasted the 1996 Clos Fourtet from bottle I rated it outstanding (90 points). The color is a saturated dark ruby. The nose offers up sweet black raspberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with toasty oak and floral scents. It is fleshy, surprisingly expansive and forward for a 1996, with low acidity, and a long, multilayered, fruit-driven finish. The tannin is ripe, and thus the fruit comes forward and the wine is seductive and charming. This wine possesses the weight, richness, and extract to last for 15-20 years, but it should be drinkable early. I would not be surprised for readers to feel my score is too conservative based on how well this wine is showing. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2018.