Aged in 100% new oak and bottled unfiltered, the 1996 has been consistently impressive each time I tasted it. Meaty and dense, with gobs of rich blackberry and cherry fruit, wonderful sweetness and attractive pain grille notes, it also boasts long, medium-bodied, amazingly concentrated flavors. The wine was made from hand-harvested grapes, with 100% malolactic fermentation taking place in new oak casks. It is a sleeper of the vintage.This may be the finest Bordeaux Superieur now being made. Proprietors Yves and Stephanie Vatelot are turning out wines of classified growth quality. Made from a ruthless selection, the blend is generally 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate's oldest vines.