The ruby/purple-colored Nuits-St.-Georges Les Pruliers (produced from an old vine parcel of an uncertain age) exhibits deep blackberry and roasted coffee aromas and a four-square, highly structured, earthy, cassis-laden and extremely oaky flavor profile. If the oak is well-integrated into this wine prior to bottling it will easily merit its rating. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2009. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided.A Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42-84-38-22), various American importers.

Laurent's top 1993s are massively concentrated, huge, intense wines that will require 8-10 years of cellaring. One of the villages where Laurent has some fabulous sources for great juice is his hometown of Nuits St.-Georges, not a particularly easy appellation in which to excel in 1993. The reserved, dark-colored Nuits St.-Georges Les Pruliers is promising, with dusty tannin, huge extraction, and a hard but powerful, concentrated finish. It requires 7-8 years of cellaring. A Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris fax # 011 33 1 42843822), various American importers