TN: 1999 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin

WINE TALK
1

Brent’s wife said “this wine is really expensive, let’s open it.”

Okay…

The 2017 Sandler Bien Nacido showed better. [whistle.gif]


  • 1999 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru (5/18/2019)
    Some funk on the nose required decanting. Light musty aromas and just a touch of faint berry. Palate is light, mossy dried red berries. Kind of uninspiring and lacking any real verve. It’s just okay and certainly not worth the tariff. At 20 years this seems past its peak. CT drinking window thru 2060? We’ll certainly both be long gone by then.

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Did it trend better or worse with time out of the bottle?

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Slightly better after 30 minutes. There are a few other notes in CT similar to mine. Where does the 1999 vintage stand?

4

Brig,
FWIW, all Roumier’s wines are reputed to take a long time to open, and most of my '99 (not Roumier) are still not ready to go. I know some will say this the standard Burgundy “spin,” but the Roumiers I’ve had when on are extraordinary and nicer than the Sandler I’ve had, though I like Sandler, and they are both rather classical winemakers. For two positive notes and two other Ruchottes, see Stuart’s recent post: Rue Chottes-- the hippest street in town.... - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

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one of the best in past 40 years.

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Brig, Alan is right. If I still had some of the 1999s I drank many years ago, I would be pleased. I recall still very clearly the Clavelier Combe d’Orveau and the Vogue Musigny VV–those wines were pretty amazing. When I saw the 99 Roumier let you down, I was disappointed for you. Bummer man.

7

The best I have seen for red. I have never had even a Bourgogne wine from the vintage that would be considered past it. Many 1er and Grand Crus are still supremely youthful. The musty aromas you experienced could have been cork taint. I suspect the bottle was flawed.

8

No chance this wine would be past it’s peak. Many of the 99 grand crus are just starting to wake up. Either you had a flawed bottle (lightly corked), Or, even thought you decanted it, you didn’t give it enough time with air to open (I would have double decanted this wine 3-4 hours ahead of drinking it, from what I’ve experienced with 99’s. If you are not a decanter of burgs, I would have opened 4 or more hours ahead and poured a small amount off.) I don’t have a huge experience with Ruchottes, but most of the examples that I can remember all seemed a little grumpy and needed coaxing when “young”.

9

Musty and muted. Sounds like it may have been lightly corked.

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Yeah, probably the case. It definitely wasn’t screaming TCA but could have been lightly infected. I saw another note on CT which was similar to my experience.

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Was there sediment in the glass?

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Hello, Stuart.

Not one bit of sediment. I poured myself the first taste then decided to decant. And then I poured myself the last couple of ounces from the decanter later in the evening.

I’m guessing it was very lightly corked, just enough to knock the wine down but not stink as one of the previous posters speculated.

Clearly, something wasn’t right.

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Flawed tasters?

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Actually had a '99 Leroy Bourgogne from a case (half now left - bought on release for about $40) the other night…looked not far of the 2017 we had besides it in terms of age/drinkability - would think easily has another 20+ years left in it.

15

One of my favorite vintages ever, definitely something wrong with your bottle.