March 19, 2021 - Double decanted for sediment then drunk over a few hours.
On the nose, roasted rare game, bacon fat, white pepper, violets, olive tapenade, savory herbs, and a mix of red and dark syrah fruit. Expansive, yet only mid weighted on the palate. This has sap and breadth with terrific texture, with the tannins nearly fully resolved leaving a texturally supple, but by no means soft or flabby, frame. This has intensity with grace. Savory, more than fruit driven on the palate with more roasted meats, olive, pepper, herbs, and soil more than fruit. This is drinking about perfectly for me right now. Another terrific showing, and showing no signs of fading from my last TN in 2017. That said, I cannot think of any reason to hold this. It is shining and as good as it will ever be. An excellent example of mature Cote Rotie drinking at its apogee. Effortlessly delicious.
Terrific with a simple ground beef and mashed potato dish.
May 17, 2020 - Decanted for about 30 minutes and followed for 3 hours. Darker garnet. Nose of damp cellar, plum notes, lavender, black pepper. Layers of blackberry, plum, roasted meaty elements, and peppery spice on the palate. Thin mid-palate filled in over the evening such that last sips were best. Very nice showing which would have been better if I had decanted longer.
October 27, 2019 - Darker, almost opaque garnet hue. Nose of black pepper, smoke, black plum, damp cellar. Well-delineated layers of plum, brambles, beef blood, licorice, and black pepper on the palate. Ample acidity and mildly filed off tannin. Long finish of mulberry, blackberry, smoky currant, and stony grip. Oh so satisfying, a complete and beautifully integrated wine.
September 7, 2017 - Double decanted in the Am for sediment, then drunk over several hours that evening.
On the nose, blood, bacon fat, roasted game, violets, iodine, and white pepper. Beautiful dark fruit, rare game, blood orange, and more savory pepper, iodine, and singed earth on the palate. Call it what you will, but it has a sense of poise and depth.. Power and grace. A beautiful, harmonious wine that performed well above my expectations. I felt we drank this at its absolute apogee. Everything came tighter to a whole much greater than the sum of its parts, all with a sense of effortlessness. Not the most impressive wine in an absolute sense, but one of the most pleasurable wines I have drink in quite a while. Terrific, and I cannot ask any more of this wine.
July 4, 2017 - Over the hill. Thin and devoid of fruit and vibrant acidity, although some said it perked up after a few hours.
July 3, 2017 - Opened by Otis. Not decanted. 3rd time I have had this wine. This wine is fading but was still enjoyable. More earthy than fruity and their was much less fruit showing than in the previous bottles. 88 points.
June 20, 2017 - I wish I had more, this was an outstanding wine in this vintage. The amount of fruit left is amazing for a 18 years old wine. Really delicious. The previous bottle was slightly better thanks to a longer decanting, so dont be afraid to decant two hours, the wine is strong enough not to loose anything
May 4, 2017 - Côte-Rotie & Hermitage 1999 - chez moi (Frederiksberg): Delicious and forward, modern leaning, but very nice and balanced, complete cr Juicy and ready. From PB.
January 11, 2017 - Delicious. Simply. At its peak I think.
December 13, 2015 - delish with a grilled steak, the smoke and leather features were stronger than the liquified cherry cola. ready to go now.