1999 Romanee St Vivant
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Tasting notes
The 1999 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru from Domaine de l’Arlot is ordered from the list. This was made by erstwhile winemaker Jean-Pierre de Smet, who oversaw the running of the de l’Arlot for two decades after it was acquired by AXA in 1987. It delivers a cornucopia of red berry fruit on the nose, complemented by wilted rose petals, light damp loamy scents and a touch of crushed stone. It gains layers by the minute. It comes replete with the fine-boned tannins one expects from this Grand Cru, a bewitching sense of symmetry and a harmonious, satin-textured finish that exerts just the right amount of grip. Probably at its peak, this is a sublime Pinot Noir.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The ruby-colored 1999 Romanee-St.-Vivant has a beguiling nose of violets, perfume, and sweet cherries. This elegant, feminine, highly detailed wine is light to medium-bodied and displays red berry and floral flavors. Its firm finish does not detract from this classy offering's beautifully delineated and flavorful core. Drink it over the next 10 years. Importers: Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725 throughout the US, except for CA & HI (Chambers & Chambers), CA (Old Vine Imports), NJ & NY (Jeroboam Imports), TX (Le Serbet), MA (Ex Cellars), and NY (Burgundy Wine Company).
Bright red-ruby. Bitter cherry, dark raspberry, violet and bitter chocolate on the rather subtle nose. Good texture and sweetness in the mouth; this has more material than the Suchots yet still comes across as a bit dry on the end. But this is also firmly structured, more complex and longer on the back end.