M. Chapoutier : Croix de Bois 1999

A good effort. Nice ’99, with vanilla pudding, plum and blackberry character. With smooth and ripe tannins and fruit, this medium-bodied red shows decent concentration for the vintage. Quite lovely on release. Drink now through 2004. 575 cases made.

The 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois exhibits a classic Provencal bouquet of rosemary, thyme, earth, and kirsch liqueur. Scents of licorice emerge as the wine sits in the glass. Ripe, full-bodied, and sweet, with moderate tannin, copious spice, and a firm structure, it will be at its finest between 2003-2016. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900