In years where the fruit ripens enough to withstand the onslaught of new oak (such as '90 and '95), Leclerc produces a Bourgogne Les Bons Batons which is one of the rare values to be found in Burgundy. Revealing a deep, enticing nose of roasted dark fruits, and a silky-textured, powerful, blackberry-filled, medium-to-full-bodied mouth, it is a wine that needs 5-7 years to soften its tannins, not unlike the 1990 offering which is drinking beautifully out of my cellar now. 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.Philippe Leclerc's wines are not for the faint hearted! Readers must been forewarned ... these are dense, black, super-concentrated, TANNIC, backward, rugged, wines that demand to be cellared. Generally they tend to be preferred by lovers of big Cabernets than by those wanting elegant, supple Pinot Noirs. Along with his brother Rene and Christian Serafin, Philippe Leclerc is the latest picker in Gevrey. Always aged in 100% new oak, sometimes for upwards of three years, Leclerc's wines are never fined or filtered. Expect these wines to be long lived and to throw a substantial sediment.An Alain Corcia Selection (French Fax # 011-33-3-80-22-71-46), importers include Southern Wines & Spirits in California.