($20) ($43; 13.8% alcohol; aged in all new barriques Superripe, spicy aromas of raspberry, woodsmoke, minerals, game and pepper. Juicy, tightly wrapped and rather powerful; dominated today by its firm acids and strong tannic spine. There's good sweetness lurking, but this wine is extremely closed today. Finishes with very good length. May yet merit a 90-point rating.

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The 1999 Cote Rotie, is a blend of purchased wine from such well-known hillside vineyards as Les Roziers, Les Grandes Places, Viaillere, and Champin. This 500-case cuvee of 100% Syrah, offers a classic perfume of bacon fat, licorice, smoked herbs, tapenade, blackberries, and creme de cassis. This wine possesses an unctuous texture as well as fabulous ripeness, adequate acidity, and sweet, unobtrusive tannin. It should drink well for 15+ years. It is a brilliant Cote Rotie!

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This still shows some guts, with blackberry and fig notes backed by hints of coffee, maduro tobacco and cassis bush. A chewy edge emerges as this sits in the glass, with a nice grippy finish.--1999 Côte-Rôtie non-blind retrospective.

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Consistent notes. Dark burgundy color; gorgeous perfume of smoked bacon, black fruit, & spices; similar flavors which are wonderfully ripe & rich on the palate; complex & balanced; soft integrated tannins; long complex finish. A lovely Cote Rotie that is drinking beautifully now and should do so for several more years.