Crafted from vines ranging from 45 to 60 years old, the Pouilly-Fuisse La Verchere Vieilles Vignes Reserve displays smoky mineral aromas and an impressive, medium-to-full-bodied, and complex personality. Superbly balanced and precise, this broad and velvety-textured wine is packed with stones, red currants, and flowers. Spicy oak notes can be discerned in its admirable finish. It should be at its best between 1999 and 2004. Daniel Barraud, a hard-working, intelligent and dedicated man, is one of the Maconnais' finest producers. He believes that his 1996s are "more powerful, both in acidity and ripeness" than his '95s and are "magnificently precise and clean." I was blown away by Barraud's '95s (reviewed in issue #110), finding both his En Buland (91) and La Verchere (90+) to be outstanding, but his 1996s are even better. Moreover, these wines are excellent values.Barraud is not a believer in batonnage; his wines obtain their richness from late harvests and extended lees contact in barrel (as opposed to the traditional Maconnais vats). He neither fines nor filters his offerings.Importer: "Reserve" wines are imported exclusively by North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 848-8910; the other wines are Peter Vezan Selections (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42654293), various importers including Skurnik in NY.