Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Echezeaux Grand Cru 1999

vinous94

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 1999 Échézeaux stands out for its striking inner perfume and sweetness. Dark cherries, plums, mocha, violets and menthol all flesh out in a rich, inviting Burgundy that is just now beginning to approach an early plateau of maturity that will last another 20+ years. With time in the glass, the 1999 turns deep and rich. In this case, the vintage is a very strong marker, perhaps even more so than site. Far from an easygoing wine, the 1999 Échézeaux is a wine of notable intensity and pure power.

vinous91

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Saturated ruby-red. Tangy blackcurrant and blackberry on the nose, along with an exotic smoky note. Dense, sweet and pliant, with lovely subtle oakiness. Impressively concentrated Echezeaux that really builds in the mouth. Perfectly harmonious acidity combines with smooth tannins on the back end.

vinous92

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

Saturated ruby-red. Perfumed, fruit-driven aromas of black cherry and cassis. Thick, concentrated, enticingly bright fruit and spice flavors. This has the density and extract of a top '98. Finishes with substantial but ripe tannins. An impressive early showing for this wine.

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Dense ruby/garnet colour. The nose is quite reticent, though aeration reveals dried leaves, earth, morello cherries. Gorgeous palate: blueberries, raspberries. Great concentration. Quite rustic, though the finish is very refined. Great acidity. Very long. Certainly one of the best Echezeaux I have had the pleasure to taste. A long life lies ahead. (1,221 cases produced) Tasted February 2002.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani

The medium ruby-colored 1999 Echezeaux has a demure, dark fruit-scented nose. It bursts on the palate with lush layers of intensely sweet cherries, candied black raspberries, and spices. This lovely wine is forward, feminine, and satin-textured. It is medium to full-bodied, highly expressive, and possesses prodigiously ripened tannin. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661.

robert_parker92

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

I was intrigued to see how the 1999 Echezeaux would be performing at 14 years of age since I have not tasted it since just after bottling. It has a very classy nose of dark cherry fruit, quite exotic for one of Aubert de Villaine’s wines, with hints of blood orange and even peach skin infusing the opulent aromatic profile. The palate is well-balanced and tightly knit, though it is clear that the RSV 1999 alongside was born with a higher level of delineation and clarity. Still, you have to admire the brio and hubris of this Echezeaux, and its youthful zeal suggests it will age over three decades without too much sweat. Delicious. Drink 2015-2030.

vinous91

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 1999 Echézeaux Grand Cru was sadly not clean, so this note originates from another bottle proffered by a friend. It is a wine that I have tasted twice before and this was consistent. The bouquet embraces the opulence of the growing season and one can argue that it impinges upon the aromatics more than the other crus this vintage. Then again, I quite enjoy the exoticism of this Echézeaux, the way in which it “puts it all out there”. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannin, well defined with plenty of plush red cherry and strawberry fruit. It attenuates a little towards the finish, suggesting that its longevity will not be that of its siblings, yet there is such enjoyment to be found in this wine.