The nose explodes from the glass with spice, intense minerality and green apple scents followed by muscular flavors of considerable power underpinned by marvelous cut and a finish that I almost couldn't believe. The balance here is perfect and this is without question one of the finest examples of young Corton-Charlemagne I have ever tasted. While I doubt this will ultimately surpass the incredible 89, it will certainly merit being mentioned in the same breath. Multiple and consistent notes.

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Apple, apple blossom, cinnamon and clove on the nose. Extraordinarily rich and penetrating; a wine of great sappy verve and lift, still quite tightly wrapped but not at all hard or tough. Finishes with palate-staining persistence and great purity of flavor. Has the sheer grip and near-perfect balance of the greatest grand cru white Burgundies. Those collectors lucky enough to latch onto a bottle or two of this elixir should give it ten years or so before pulling the cork.

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Jean-François says 1999 was quite like 2009 with its generosity of everything. Not yet ready. A big crop. There is even some oak perceptible here. Very chewy still. Nervy, not the roundness of 2000 for example. Still quite introvert. Still a bit jagged. I would not choose to drink this for really quite a while. A bit austere for the moment but obviously a great, great vintage. Very, very fine and classic and superior. So long!

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As Jean-Francois Coche served his 1999 Corton Charlemagne, he said, "This wine will go far, as it is very, very young." It reveals ripe white fruits and a powerful spice component in its aromatics. On the palate, this medium to full-bodied wine is fresh, super-ripe, and expansive. Sweet apples, pears, and a myriad of spices coat the taster's palate and take it hostage for about a minute after it has been spit out. It is an extraordinarily long-finishing wine that is a tribute to Coche's talents, skills, and hard work.

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