grossie--Thanks for those excellent notes on the 1999 Chateau Faugeres!

I visited Chateau Faugeres when they were bottling the 1998 vintage, but I had a barrel tasting of the 1999 and thought it was going to be a 90+ wine.

The 1998 Faugeres was clearly the better vintage, but the 1999 Faugeres has yet to achieve the quality I tasted from the barrel---and I'm still waiting! When I had that barrel tasting I think it hadn't yet absorbed the volume of oak that was in the final product. Still it was an excellent QPR and I bought a ton of it! I'm hoping that sometimes in the near future it will lose that "little pucker" you mentioned and it will be soft, sweet, and fruity!

I also bought Peby Faugeres & Cap de Faugeres from the 1998 & 1999 vintage and both were super values on futures. Have you had either the Peby or Cap???

Latour- I'd probably start opening those 99s soon. There's little to lose at this point and I'm afraid that it's starting on its descent.

I haven't had the Peby or the Cap from 99 (that I can recall!)

• 1999 Château Faugères - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/16/2008)
  After my last experience I though I should get to this one sooner rather than later. Dark red color, pretty opaque. The nose keeps changing- first it's smokey and charred, then I get more forest or mushrooms, then I get tobacco. There is definitely a good ripe fruity side. This has some body, showing strong dark fruit, slight earthyness, with good acidity and soft tannins. It finishes well, probably too well in that I can see myself finishing this bottle alone tonight (13% abv). This bottle is right in its drinking window. I thought the last one was over-the-hill while this one shines right now. For 1999 this is a real treat- showing good fruit, not too much austerity, while displaying great character. (91 pts.)

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