The 1996 Richebourg Grand Cru is drinking beautifully and might actually surpass La Tâche in this vintage; certainly, I have yet to drink a 1996 La Tâche as good as this particular bottle of Richebourg. Wafting from the glass with an inviting bouquet of plummy fruit mingled with wilted rose petals, peonies, exotic spices, orange rind and forest floor, it's full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with none of the vintage's tendency toward asperity in evidence, exhibiting melting tannins and a seamless, velvety profile. This is really beginning to show well today.

The 1996 Richebourg Grand Cru is a step above the previous vintage. It has a typical nose for the vintage, black instead of red fruit, a touch sullen at first, yet it brightens in the glass and delivers subtle ferrous, orange peel and mulch-like scents. The palate is medium-bodied with more structure and grunt than the '95, not a Richebourg with grace, yet sapid and with more persistency. This is thoroughly enjoyable, even if I don't think it will improve further after 28 years. Tasted at the Richebourg vertical dinner in Taipei.

As is often the case with this youthful wine, the nose was extremely reticent. After considerable coaxing, I had a peek at this offering's deeply ripe dark fruit aromatics. But what a flavor profile! A massive explosion of profound and intense cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, and strawberries coated my palate. It is a medium-to-full-bodied, densely-fruited, and powerful wine that is perfectly balanced and delineated. Projected maturity: 2005-2018. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 31/08/1998 As is often the case with this youthful wine, the nose was extremely reticent. After considerable coaxing, I had a peek at this offering''s deeply ripe dark fruit aromatics. But what a flavor profile! A massive explosion of profound and intense cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, and strawberries coated my palate. It is a medium-to-full-bodied, densely-fruited, and powerful wine that is perfectly balanced and delineated. Projected maturity: 2005-2018. ()

Good deep red-ruby. Wild but rather opaque on the deeply pitched nose; hints at cassis and leather. Gives an impression of higher acidity than the foregoing wines and comes across as a bit disjointed today. With less fat showing today, the tannins are a bit tough. But this wine is hiding more than it's showing today.

(with thanks to Bruce Khouri). A gorgeous| spicy and expressive nose of mostly black fruit aromas combines with rich| sweet and still tight medium full and quite firmly structured flavors that possess a long though slightly edgy and austere finish. Note that this bottle showed better than the one reviewed in the big Richebourg retrospective held in October| 2001. I would not touch another bottle for at least 5 years and this easily has 20 year+ potential as it will require a long time to completely unwind. Tasted on multiple occasions with consistent notes. Drink: Try from 2016+
-Allen Meadows, Burghound.com. Tasted: Oct 14, 2010