drink now
Red Rhone 1999: Drink now
Quality overall is very good, though not as exceptional as 1998
Weather Conditions
Flowering was early in the north, and the summer warm and mostly dry. The harvest was quite early, the reds being picked from about 19 September. In the south the summer was slightly unsettled, but a hot August led to an early harvest in September. Occasional rain induced rot in some of the grapes.
Best Appellations
Northern Rhone : the wines seem well balanced and structured, and could be exceptional in Condrieu and Côte Rotie. Southern Rhone : quality overall is very good, though not as exceptional as 1998.
Best Producers
The wines from this vintage are continuing to develop. It is still too early to recommend specific producers.
