The stupendous 1999 Montrachet has powerful spice, nut, and pear aromas. Medium to full-bodied, intense, fat, and rich, this is a broad, lush, powerful wine. Its juicy flavor profile, composed of almond liqueur, quartz, minerals, and fresh pears as well as apples, lasts an exceedingly long time. This is a crystalline yet plump wine with excellent balance, focus, and muscle. Unquestionably one of the finest wines of the vintage, it should be at its peak between 2003 and 2012.Importers: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524, Domaines et Saveurs Collection, Jeanne-Marie de Champs, French Fax: 33-3-80-22-58-25.

I have vexed about the number of prematurely oxidized bottles I have encountered from this domaine. The 1999 Montrachet is another victim. Served blind, it is clearly much deeper in color than Bouchard's Montrachet '05 tasted alongside, more than a six-year interim should be. The nose is wooly and smudged with touches of crème br?lée and nougat. The palate is forward and quite weighty in the mouth, but there is an alarming lack of freshness, especially on the fatigued finish. While not undrinkable, this is not what you would expect.