For Champagne despite hailstorms in early May, things were initially looking good in general, with a warm August filling the grapes with sugar and promising great things. Just at the wrong moment, in the second week of September, there were days of heavy and quite persistent rain, diluting the fruit and downgrading expectations from great to good.
The wines are marked by generally low levels of acidity, and are therefore not really for the long-term. Gosset performed really well in 1999 however, as did Pol Roger. It was the first vintage for Dominique Petit, at the time newly recruited from Krug and keen to make a good impression! Which he did….
Dom Pérignon was the 17th century Benedictine monk who has gone down in history as the person who “invented” Champagne, and the name Moët & Chandon uses for its prestige cuvée, which was first released in 1937. A rigorous selection process in both the vineyard and winery ensures that only the best grapes go into Dom Pérignon.
From the ripe and approachable 1999 vintage, this has typically encyclopaedic notes of angelica, hazelnut, cinnamon and tobacco; how it manages to do all this is a well-guarded mystery, courtesy of the Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy. Exotic elements are harnessed by hints of peppery spice with notes of brioche, peach and quince all vying for attention. A powerful wine and one that will continue to develop over the next decade but which can also be enjoyed now.
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From the ripe and approachable 1999 vintage, this has typically encyclopaedic notes of angelica, hazelnut, cinnamon and tobacco; how it manages to do all this is a well-guarded mystery, courtesy of the Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy. Exotic elements are harnessed by hints of peppery spice with notes of brioche, peach and quince all vying for attention. A powerful wine and one that will continue to develop over the next decade but which can also be enjoyed now.