Côte Rôtie La Landonne, Etienne Guigal 1999

I have given perfect scores to other vintages of La Landonne, but the black/purple-colored 1999 Cote Rotie La Landonne may be the finest effort Guigal has ever coaxed out of this vineyard. It appears less animalistic than usual, offering gorgeously pure notes of incense, melted road tar, fried bacon, blackberries, blueberries, smoked meats, and vanilla. Literally out of this world in terms of flavor concentration and balance, the finish lasts well over 60 seconds. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030.

For drinking today, it doesn't get better than the 1999 Cote Rotie la Landonne (the '99 la Mouline maybe). A monumental Cote Rotie, it offers an incredible perfume of cassis, licorice, smoked game and roasted herbs (among other things), full-bodied richness, a seamless texture and a finish that just won't quit. While a massive wine, with incredible concentration and density, this beauty is lively, elegant and weightless, with sweet, polished tannin. Perfumed and upfront on this occasion, it was served blind at the end of the retrospective and I actually thought it was the 1990. Drink 2015-2030.

This wine is perfect. It is undoubtedly the greatest vintage for Guigal since 1978. Take all the characteristics I described for the wines in 1998 and 1997, then add an ethereal lightness of character, surreal aromatics, and a seamlessness that is uncanny given the massive richness and layers of flavors this wine possesses. The explosive aromatics tend to be more exaggerated in 1999. The wine is more evolved and seductive than the 1998s, but its aging potential should not be underestimated. It has at least two decades of life. In short, Guigal has performed a classic hat trick in 1999 with his La La's. It will be released in February, 2003.