1999 Richebourg

The 1999 Richebourg Grand Cru is a wonderful wine, even if this is not the best bottle that I have encountered. That is principally because the nose does not quite convey the crystalline purity of the previous example poured in Hong Kong. Although, the vibrant dark berry fruit and crushed stone aromas remains in situ. The palate has exquisite balance and poise, a wine of immense grandeur yet with elegance and energy in spades towards the finish. Tasted at the Amos Bursary charity dinner at 67 Pall Mall.

The 1999 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is bestowed with startling delineation on the nose, displaying chiseled aromas of dark berry fruit, briar, crushed stone and just a touch of rose petal. Like the greatest wines from this hallowed vineyard, it possesses a palpable sense of majesty and aristocracy, the crescendo of aromas rooting you to the spot and making you almost kowtow in deference. The palate has immense backbone and structure; think of the Forth Bridge, if you will. And underneath the blackberry and wild strawberry fruit lie fathomless notes of cold slate and damp autumnal woodland. The energy coiled inside this Richebourg is wonderful. In lesser hands, such a leviathan could be oppressive, but instead, you are overcome with joy and revelry. Stunning. Tasted at the DRC/Leroy comparative dinner in Hong Kong.

The 1999 Richebourg Grand Cru is a wine that I have tasted twice before. Here it retains that incredible, intense bouquet with dark cherry, crushed stone and mulberry, endowed with astounding mineralité , as if the terroir simply cannot be contained. The palate is tensile and youthful considering it is no longer a young pip, effortlessly combining the power you demand from a Richebourg and the elegance given by the winemaking. There is that crescendo that distinguishes the finest red burgundy and this is certainly from the top drawer. You can see this cruising at high altitude for many years. Tasted at the 1999 DRC dinner.