TN: 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou

This wine surprised me a bit, since it did not seem to be quite the same wine I remember from a few years. Dark fruited, even inky, with fine nano-tannins showing mostly on the long slightly bitter finish rather than as a broad attack on the mid-palate. A pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon as far as I could tell, I really could not pick out much out much of a Merlot signature unless there was a perfect melding of blackberry with dark dense Pomerol-style plum that showed itself on the finish. Very aromatic with its nose of cedar and leafy green tobacco, in the mouth incredibly pure and intense. Lots of life left in this wine with its perfect balance, showing better than a 1996 Pichon Lalande tasted a couple of weeks earlier.
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One of the few wines where I think I prefer 1995 to 1996. Both very good though.

I found 95 DB to be more muscular - tannins more youthful and forward - than 96 DB a couple of years ago.