The 1996 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a structured, tannic, and closed offering, as well as rich and concentrated. The wine is medium-bodied, with a deep, saturated ruby color, and plenty of black fruits in its nose, along with pepper, wood smoke, and spice. A powerful, reserved, backward 1996, it will be at its finest between 2000-2010. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524, except for Les Hautes Brusquieres, which has traditionally been imported by Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949