An enormous, masculine, backward wine, Leoville-Barton's 1996 exhibits an opaque black/purple color, and sweet, earthy, prune, and blackcurrant aromas intertwined with scents of licorice and Asian spices. Enormous and full-bodied, with a sweet mid-palate and mouthsearing tannin in the finish, this exceptionally dense, powerful, layered wine will require significant patience. Its explosive power and richness may push this wine's ultimate rating into the mid-nineties. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2040. Robert Parker