1999 - Hermitage Cuvee Emilie Rouge, Domaine des Remizieres

Possibly the finest vintage to date (it’s neck and neck with the 2009), the 1999 Hermitage Cuvee Emilie is still youthful and lively, with a deep ruby/purple-tinged color, notes of black raspberries, bouquet garni, crushed rocks, leather and chocolate, perfectly integrated tannin and an utterly seamless texture. Coming mostly from the Grandes Vignes and Rocoules vineyards on Hermitage Hill and brought up all in new barrels, it’s a gorgeous wine that’s drinking nicely today, yet has two decades of life to go.

Knockout roasted nose combines blackberry, cassis, violet and bitter chocolate; perfumed and pure. Superripe but fresh, with lively kirsch and dark chocolate flavors. Very sweet and very concentrated. Finishes with spreading, horizontal tannins that take over the entire palate. Very long and lush but fresh and detailed on the back end. The 2000 is silky but this is more massive and important. This began with 12.7% natural alcohol and was chaptalized to about 13.2% in bottle, whereas the 2000 started at 13.1% and was bumped up to 13.5%.