1996 was full of contrasts and the summer changeable. The month before grape-picking was marked by hot weather and north-easterly winds that led to the original maturity of the vintage. There is an apparent paradox in this great wine with concentration and movement vying for ascendancy. Its energy, almost tactile, is contained for a moment before vibrating and exploding. Its opulence then becomes superbly persistent, trenchant and persuasive.