No flaws or undue oxidization but I found this to be about peak maturity while still retaining some freshness. Advancing apple fruit, loads of spice, short on mineral and acid. Dense and weighty. Opulent, rich, not necessarily powerful. If being extremely critical this could’ve used a touch more tension and energy. Very good but I think this should have a little more verve. I haven’t had great luck with 1999 Ramonet. Again, no flaws here, just a little tired and not seeing that Montrachet intensity and power.
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From magnum. As close to perfection as any white Burgundy can be. The power was breathtaking, yet it maintained its light, dreamy feel in the mouth. A huge amount of dry extract and a finish that goes on and on and on. I have been privileged to have this wine before, but this was the best example I have ever tasted, the magnum format serving it well. Textbook example of power without weight. I don’t score on points but everyone at the table who did said 99 or 100.
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Corked. So very sad. Also with great underlying fruit and concentration. Faintly corked to start, but still nicely drinkable with faint "wet cardboard" flavors that just got more pronounced on nose and palate over the next 20-30 minutes. Drank a full (very enjoyable) glass before this lost interest.
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This really needed the 45-minute decant which helped this rather coiled version of Montrachet start to show itself. Light gold color with a beautiful nose of limestone and spearmint. On the palate, this is lazer-like with zippy acids and superb intensity. Delicious flavors of limes and mint give way to a secondary burst of complexity on the finish with notes of minerals and an array of spices and tropical fruits. Lean but still fabulous volume and length. Absolutely no signs of premox and this could use a few more years to sften and grow even more complex. 95+
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La Paulée de San Francisco - Gala Dinner (The Fairmont - San Francisco CA): Tasting, brief note. A Montrachet of great elegance with lots of textures and minerality giving great balance to moderately ripe orchard fruit. Lots of great floral elements and I didn't find any of the telltale Ramonet mint. Very long. From large format (I think I was told 4.5L?)
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Oh my, this is part of my corruption. Initially a bit reticent on the nose, this started out a little steely and mainly feature liquefied minerals. However, as it warmed and aired, oh my, what a remarkable explosion of Chardonnay. A creamy nose, not showing oak, just rich and fat fruit, simply explosive. A huge, expansive palate, amazing fruit, precise acidity, yet more rich than steely, always showing remarkable minerality and salinity from beginning to end. Really a gorgeous wine.
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Tasting at Ramonet (2004, 2003 and others) (Ramonet cellars): Enormous toast on the nose for the moment, the wine is very very young and tight with an incredible substance and density, again a very tight sphere that is just impossible to attack because there are no cracks or weak points. A small sphere of perfection that will certainly prove to be mind-bogglingly good when it finally cracks open. (tasted blind, my guess was 99 BM)
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Medium yellow colour. Marzipan, tobacco and mint on the nose. Incredibly intense, but backs up all the impact of the attack with a beautiful large structure and gobs of ripe, complex fruit flavours. The finish lasted more than a minute. Simply stunning.
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4/24/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
No flaws or undue oxidization but I found this to be about peak maturity while still retaining some freshness. Advancing apple fruit, loads of spice, short on mineral and acid. Dense and weighty. Opulent, rich, not necessarily powerful. If being extremely critical this could’ve used a touch more tension and energy. Very good but I think this should have a little more verve. I haven’t had great luck with 1999 Ramonet. Again, no flaws here, just a little tired and not seeing that Montrachet intensity and power.
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12/18/2020 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
From magnum. As close to perfection as any white Burgundy can be. The power was breathtaking, yet it maintained its light, dreamy feel in the mouth. A huge amount of dry extract and a finish that goes on and on and on. I have been privileged to have this wine before, but this was the best example I have ever tasted, the magnum format serving it well. Textbook example of power without weight. I don’t score on points but everyone at the table who did said 99 or 100.
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9/25/2020 - Alex G. wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/24/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Badly oxidized.
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12/23/2017 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
Massive, full, did I say massive? Not as precise as 04 but we are splitting the finest of hairs, serious juice.
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1/27/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Corked. So very sad. Also with great underlying fruit and concentration. Faintly corked to start, but still nicely drinkable with faint "wet cardboard" flavors that just got more pronounced on nose and palate over the next 20-30 minutes. Drank a full (very enjoyable) glass before this lost interest.
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7/2/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
This really needed the 45-minute decant which helped this rather coiled version of Montrachet start to show itself. Light gold color with a beautiful nose of limestone and spearmint. On the palate, this is lazer-like with zippy acids and superb intensity. Delicious flavors of limes and mint give way to a secondary burst of complexity on the finish with notes of minerals and an array of spices and tropical fruits. Lean but still fabulous volume and length. Absolutely no signs of premox and this could use a few more years to sften and grow even more complex. 95+
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3/15/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
La Paulée de San Francisco - Gala Dinner (The Fairmont - San Francisco CA): Tasting, brief note. A Montrachet of great elegance with lots of textures and minerality giving great balance to moderately ripe orchard fruit. Lots of great floral elements and I didn't find any of the telltale Ramonet mint. Very long. From large format (I think I was told 4.5L?)
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10/26/2007 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Acker Pre-Auction tasting (New York, NY): Tasting, brief note. Ripe, powerful, long, while incredibly balanced and textured. Super.
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4/27/2006 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Oh my, this is part of my corruption. Initially a bit reticent on the nose, this started out a little steely and mainly feature liquefied minerals. However, as it warmed and aired, oh my, what a remarkable explosion of Chardonnay. A creamy nose, not showing oak, just rich and fat fruit, simply explosive. A huge, expansive palate, amazing fruit, precise acidity, yet more rich than steely, always showing remarkable minerality and salinity from beginning to end. Really a gorgeous wine.
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11/17/2005 - Will wrote:
Tasting at Ramonet (2004, 2003 and others) (Ramonet cellars): Enormous toast on the nose for the moment, the wine is very very young and tight with an incredible substance and density, again a very tight sphere that is just impossible to attack because there are no cracks or weak points. A small sphere of perfection that will certainly prove to be mind-bogglingly good when it finally cracks open. (tasted blind, my guess was 99 BM)
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2/3/2002 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 97 Points
Medium yellow colour. Marzipan, tobacco and mint on the nose. Incredibly intense, but backs up all the impact of the attack with a beautiful large structure and gobs of ripe, complex fruit flavours. The finish lasted more than a minute. Simply stunning.
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