1999 Gilles Barge Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The well-made 1999 Cote Rotie Cote Brune offers new barrique notes as well as aromas of herbs, earth, leather, and aged beef. An herbaceous character reveals evidence of stems. There is decent acidity, medium body, sweet fruit on the attack, and a moderately long finish. Give it 1-2 years of cellaring and drink it over the following decade. Gilles Barge, former president of the Cote Rotie syndicate, remains frozen in time, adhering to the most traditional aspects of winemaking. However, he appears to utilize more barriques for his Cote Brune bottling as opposed to the lighter Cuvee du Plessy. Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The Barge Cote-Roties are aged in a combination of barriques and demi-muids Bright ruby-red. More sauvage, highly perfumed nose combines raspberry, nutmeg, violet and blood sausage. Fat, broad and oaky, with complicating notes of smoked meat and leather. Round and broad yet quite powerful. Finishes with big, chewy, ripe tannins that hit the palate quite late. Distinctly brune (i.e., from heavier clay- and iron-rich soil) in style.