The 1999 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er Cru is a vintage that I have not tasted for a long time. It has an odd bouquet, very backward and a bit funky. It does cohere with aeration but never thoroughly convinces of its pedigree. The palate has a decent line of acidity with dark berry fruit mixed with cola, slightly grainy in texture with a dash of black pepper on the finish. It's just a bit cumbersome by Christophe Roumier's standards. Tasted at David Pope's 1999 Burgundy horizontal at Lorne.

Good red-ruby color. Black plum, raspberry, mocha and a hint of tar on the musky nose. Serious and full on the palate, with briary red berry flavors. Finishes with good length and substantial dusty tannins.

Mid ruby. Lots of layers of flavour already on the nose and decidedly interesting. Deeply scented, then quite concentrated fruit. Very burgundian, which may seem an odd tasting note but is a good description of this particular wine. Definitely still chewy but definitely in transition. Nice texture. Gentle, but for the future. (JR)