The spectacular Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Vieilles Vignes reveals an elegant floral nose with heavenly mineral components (what the French call "aerien"). Its immensely concentrated, bright, full-bodied, dense core is packed with red currants, white flowers, and gravel-like flavors. This wine is gorgeously refined (especially surprising for a Morgeot!), and possesses an unbelievably long finish. It should be at its best between 2002 and 2010. This wine was tasted from barrel prior to racking. The rating, with the range of scores in parentheses, indicates the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. A year ago, Jean-Marie Guffens told me that 1996 was the greatest vintage of his lifetime. While he did not repeat that comment when I visited him in November, Guffens was bursting with pride as I tasted the wines. A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42654293), importers include: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 848-8910, and a Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-44706293), various American importers, including Bacchus Importers (800) 525-9699.