La Romanée, Bouchard Père et Fils 1999

Very deep, almost black ruby color. There is a healthy dose of new wood but there is absolutely no doubt that this wine has sufficient density to absorb it. Extremely ripe, rich and expressive for young La Romanée, which is often severe, reserved and austere in its youth. The intensity of this wine is dialed way up with thick, super ripe aromas of black berries, oriental spices, tea, leather and a trace of underbrush coupled with extremely dense, extract of pinot noir flavors and fine, dusty tannins that create a massively structured wine that somehow remains in perfect balance. There is unusual volume as well yet the wine remains elegant with outstanding mid-palate concentration. Simply fabulous potential that should permit this to be extremely long lived and a wine that hasn't changed a bit since my last review in February of 2001.