On 11/27/13 10:47 AM, Gordon MacPherson wrote:
> I have been given a single bottle of 1996 Roumier Bonne Mares. When I
> looked up the price I nearly fell off the chair (the donor does know
> what she has done). It has been kept in a Eurocave till now, and I have
> it in my own temperature controlled "Cave". It is said to be ready now,
> but when would Bourgogne experts think it would be at its peak. And
> secondly, how to serve it - on bended knee with bared head, on its own,
> with food (if so which dishes might best complement the wine).

You lucky dog! You can check out recent people's impressions of the
wine on Cellartracker:

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=16024

Beyond that, I would note a few things. 1996 was a vintage marked by
tightly structured wines that were high in acidity. The Roumier Bonnes
Mares is by all accounts a great success for the vintage, but now it is
just starting to enter its maturity. Depending on how you prefer your
Burgundy, you can certainly wait as long as you wish before opening it.
Right now, it is still quite primary with fruit-dominated flavors; in
20 years, it'll likely have developed more tertiary characteristics and
have more "bottle bouquet." So, open it up when you want to and enjoy!
If you open it up in the next few years, give it a good decant to help
it open.

Mark Lipton
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