I have tasted this twice in the last year and while it's not quite ready for prime time it continues to evolve in a positive sense with its ultra-fresh, spicy, pure, airy and elegant nose that displays really lovely aromatic complexity along with a hint of stems. There is excellent punch to the relatively round, sappy and sweet middle weight flavors that, unlike many '96s, possess reasonably good acid/fruit/tannin balance. To be sure, this doesn't entirely escape the effects of the '96 vintage as there is a touch of acidity poking through on the finish but overall, this is really quite good and definitely still on the way up. Whether it will ever completely harmonize is of course an open question but the complexity of the nose and flavors still make for a more than just interesting drink. Pessimists will want to drink up sooner than later and optimists will want to allow this another 5 to 7 years of bottle age first. Tasted many times over the years with largely consistent results.

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