1999 Charmes Chambertin

Liquorice scents and real spine of structure. Creamy, concentrated and utterly correct (ie no sweetening up or specious oak). Quite alcoholic and perhaps just very slightly over the top for some palates but certainly un-ignorable. (JR)

Highly nuanced, musky nose combines lemon, truffle and toasty, charred oak. Big, rich and vibrant; already wonderfully aromatic in the mouth. A large-scaled, layered wine that unfolds slowly and lingers long on the aftertaste. The old-vines component of this wine featured a full 13.8% alcohol with a low pH of 3.18.

Talcum powder, perfume, and flowers can be discerned in the aromatics of the 1999 Meursault Les Charmes. Medium-bodied and silky, it offers toast, mineral, white currant, and crisp pear flavors. It is tangy, flavorful, extremely well-balanced, and graceful. This wine also boasts an admirably long, smooth finish. Drink it over the next 7-9 years. Importers: Various including Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel: (617) 731-6644, and Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel (805) 686-9153.