Although May was cool and often rainy, flowering occurred in a relatively short period of time due to warm sunny weather which was ushered in during the first of June. It was the cooler than normal temperatures coupled with the clear, sunny, dry, days of August and September that really set the profile for the 1996 vintage. Grapes were picked perfectly healthy and at high sugar levels. More importantly, malic and tartaric acidity levels were at measurements typically found in cold, wet harvest conditions. This is a large vintage where the wines will hold and improve for a many years as both white and red wines have benefited from a high levels of ripeness and acidity. The wines lack some depth and structure but make up for this with balance. 1996 was one of the best white wine vintages in decades, (Chablis was also particularly successful). The acidity levels remained very high, even after malolactic fermentation, and the wines exhibit both ripe fruit and bright lively acidity. It was the best red vintage since 1993. The communes of the Cote de Nuits were most successful in the red category. The big winners were Nuits St. Georges and Chambolle Musigny. Many of these wines are excellent examples of Pinot Noir at it's best, and show at the highest level of breed and balance.