1999 Château Montus Madiran Cuvée Prestige - France, Southwest France, Madiran (11/9/2012)
-- decanted immediately before tasting --
-- tasted non-blind over approx. 3 - 4 hours --

NOSE: initially, very tight; wet stones; cherry licorice; a touch leathery; moderate to moderate+ expressiveness with a couple hours in the decanter; sweet smokiness; fruit gets more cooked and a sweet Hoisin sauce note emerges after a couple hours, too; not complex to moderately complex, but very nice nonetheless.

BODY: sediment present; cork in excellent condition; deep cherry/blood-red color, with a hint of bricking throughout --- looks young; color is of medium-deep depth; medium-full to full bodied.

TASTE: very ripe banana – oak?; non-descript red fruits; pepperoni; long garrigue-flecked finish, which is of medium-light intensity; tannins are still very drying; good acidity; 12.5% alc. is not noticeable; slightly chalky mint note in the background after a couple hours; slight hint of sweet oak; tooth-staining; pretty impressive concentration and ripeness of flavor for a wine that is, allegedly, only 12.5% alc.; with air exposure, the fruits veer from the red fruit spectrum towards purple fruits, and the flavors also become somewhat muddled. Drinking well now, but I think this will continue to hold, and maybe even improve a little, in the cellar. Drink now through 2020.

B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = (89 pts.)


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