The 1996 Beychevelle was served from double magnum at the property. The nose is fully mature with touches of mushroom, leather and sous-bois, though not quite as complex as say the 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, though it is not as refined or as nuanced as its peers. This is from a period where I think that Beychevelle was not firing on all cylinders and I have been scathing with my reviews in the past. Even here it lags behind its peers, something that I feel has been rectified in recent vintages by Philippe Blanc and his team. Tasted July 2016.