At the insistence of several American clients, these wines were bottled unfiltered six months earlier than normal. The cuvee that will be sold in Europe will be bottled early next year. Many observers have felt that Leclerc's practice of bottling his wines after more than two years in 100% new oak was excessive. There is no doubting that in top, highly concentrated vintages such as 1985 and 1990 the wines can tolerate more oak than in light years such as 1991 or 1987. The current offerings all performed significantly better than when I last tasted them with Leclerc in November, 1991. If you are looking for super-rich, lusty red burgundy at a decent price, check out Leclerc's 1990 Bourgogne-Les Bons Batons. One of the best generic red burgundies I tasted, this wine offers up a huge, sweet nose of black-cherries and herbs, followed by unctuous, thick flavors, and a full-bodied, lusty finish. It is short on finesse, but, wow, does it deliver gobs of richness and character. Importers: various American importers, including Ideal Wines, Medford, MA and William Grant and Sons, Edison, NJ.