1999 - Hermitage Rouge, Tardieu

"While the 2000 Tardieu-Laurent offerings are excellent for the vintage, they are significantly less concentrated and textured compared to the awesome 1999s. The 1999s which were given fabulous ratings from barrel, were not tasted from bottle. However, given part experience with bottled Tardieu-Laurent wines, they are undoutedly as good as I predicted from cask. They are not racked until bottling, produced with minimal levels of SO2, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration."

"Opulent Hermitage that blends local terroir with an international style. Full-bodied, rich and ripe, it cascades with blackberries, raspberries and grilled and toasted notes. But the heavy oak treatment gives it a firm tannin structure and a slightly hard finish that will need time to soften. Best from 2005 through 2015. 300 cases made. _PM"