1999 Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
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Tasting notes
The 1999 Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru was another bottle opened in Wimbledon at the Vin et Vinyl evening. I am much more positive on this vintage than my former colleague, Stephen Tanzer. Vivid scents of Morello cherry, white-tipped strawberry and wet limestone unfurl on the nose and articulate this vineyard with style and panache. The palate is fascinating insofar as the terroir usurps the vintage expression, again much more mineralité than many other '99 Côte de Nuits, with a tensile, sapid finish. Maybe at its peak? Wonderful.
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Average Score
Neal Martin
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 1999 Clos des Ruchottes is tussling with the 1996 as the best of the decade. Lucid, almost iridescent in color, the bouquet explodes across the sky with voluptuous aromas of cassis, black cherries and vanilla pod. Brilliantly defined and focused, it is utterly beguiling. The palate is very well balanced with silky smooth tannins that just glide across the mouth. Cashmere! It fans out gloriously toward its crescendo with lush plum and blackberry notes, but underneath there is a minerally core to counterbalance the sheer sexiness of this wine. Fabulous, but you need patience to really appreciate it. Drink 2018-2040. Tasted September 2013.
The 1999 Clos des Ruchottes is tussling with the 1996 as the best of the decade. Lucid, almost iridescent in color, the bouquet explodes across the sky with voluptuous aromas of cassis, black cherries and vanilla pod. Brilliantly defined and focused, it is utterly beguiling. The palate is very well balanced with silky smooth tannins that just glide across the mouth. Cashmere! It fans out gloriously toward its crescendo with lush plum and blackberry notes, but underneath there is a minerally core to counterbalance the sheer sexiness of this wine. Fabulous, but you need patience to really appreciate it. Drink 2018-2040. Tasted September 2013. Dec 2013, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of Burgundy’s most famous estates. Revered for making unearthly expressions of Pinot Noir, the estate’s wines are some of the most collectable in the world.