Domaine des Bosquets
1999 Gigondas

Appellation: Gigondas, Rhone, France

We've been drinking this wine over the past eight years or so, and at age 11 it is slightly beyond its peak. Originally a big, alcoholic, extremely chewy, closed, rustic wine, the rough edges disappeared about age 7 - 8, leaving the wine delicious, balanced, and full-bodied. Currently, the nose leans toward leather, cedar, and dark licorice when first opened. With a bit of airing, dark currant and funky roasted fig flavors appear. The tannin has essentially disappeared, making the wine somewhat flabby. I'd opt to drink this one up in the next year or two.