One of the sleepers of the 1996 vintage, Lafon-Rochet has turned out an atypically powerful, rich, and concentrated wine bursting with black currant fruit. The opaque purple color gives way to a medium to full-bodied, tannic, backward wine with terrific purity, a sweet, concentrated mid-palate, and a long, blockbuster finish.

Blackberry and licorice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish. Clearly better in 1996 than in 1995.--'95'96 Bordeaux retrospective.