Approaching their 30th birthday, the top wines from the glorious 1996 vintage in Bordeaux are now in full bloom. It was a particularly successful vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon, and brilliant wines like Pichon Lalande and Léoville Las Cases show this to full effect. Among the First Growths, Mouton Rothschild and Haut-Brion are drinking beautifully today, along with Yquem.
Elsewhere in France, Clos de Tart is a starry representative of an exceptional year for red Burgundy. Finally, Syrah always requires bottle age to show well; one of the world's finest exemplars is Guigal's La Turque; in this case, the 1996 is thoroughly open and ready to enjoy.
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