1999 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places

Colour very deep crimson. QUITE different from the previous Côte Rôties – presumably all that new oak. Treacly intensity rather than dancing elegance. Quite a simple texture but a hint of something unclean too. A second bottle was cleaner, and smoother. Manages some of the Côte Rôtie lift on the finish and the alcohol is pretty well managed. Acidity just a little unintegrated. Very long. Like a turbo charged Côte Rôtie and why not ? So long as you know what you’re getting… (JR)

The sumptuous, profound 1999 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places (625 cases) is great stuff in an outrageously ripe, concentrated vintage. A Syrah masterpiece, this opaque purple-colored offering beautifully juxtaposes its muscle, power, and depth with considerable elegance and precision. The tannin is sweet, the acidity adequate, and the wine layered, majestically rich, full-bodied, and moderately tannic. It can be drunk now, but 3-4 years of cellaring will be beneficial. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020. Importers: New Castle Imports, Myrtle Beach, SC; tel. (843) 497-8625 and Langdon Shiverick, Cleveland, OH; tel. (216) 861-6800

The sumptuous, profound 1999 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places (625 cases) is great stuff in an outrageously ripe, concentrated vintage. A Syrah masterpiece, this opaque purple-colored offering beautifully juxtaposes its muscle, power, and depth with considerable elegance and precision. The tannin is sweet, the acidity adequate, and the wine layered, majestically rich, full-bodied, and moderately tannic. It can be drunk now, but 3-4 years of cellaring will be beneficial. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020. Apr 2002, www.robertparker.com