Similar dark, bright red. Cooler, oakier aromas of blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and iodine. More powerful and more austere in the mouth; today it's the wine's backbone rather than its flesh that's obvious. Hints at licorice in the middle palate. Finishes very long, with powerful but ripe tannins. This may be more classic but Rousseau's '98 Clos de Beze is at least as complex and persistent.

The 1998 Chambertin Grand Cru has a leafier bouquet than the 1996 compared alongside, undergrowth and cracked black pepper, hints of peppermint, even a touch of liquorice. It does not quite have the breeding of the aforementioned 1996. The palate is smooth on the entry, fleshy with moderate depth. Mellow, cohesive, lightly spiced, surprising richness on the finish yet without the pedigree of the finest vintages. Tasted at the Rousseau Chambertin vertical at La Vienne.

The 1998 Chambertin is one of the real surprises in this tasting. From a vintage that never got much of a look, Rousseau's Chambertin is a pure and total delight. It is not the most complex wine in the vertical, nor is it the most pedigreed, but it is absolutely exquisite, as all of its elements are in perfect balance. The plum, sweet tobacco, menthol and red cherry flavors, along with the wine's soft, open-knit personality, make the 1998 impossible to resist today. Readers looking for a vintage of the Rousseau Chambertin that is peaking will find much to admire in the 1998.

Dark, healthy crimson. Muddy, low key nose. Dark crimson – quite intense. Sweet and round at first but a bit tough. Obdurate. (JR)