Robert Ampeau Beaune Clos du Roi 1999

This is one old Burgundy that won’t fade in a carafe, so don’t hesitate to decant it, and be sure to use a good large glass. The wine has a limpid, glowing almandine color, warming to bright mahogany at the edge. And its classic, fully mature Côte de Beaune Burgundy nose is a moving target: endlessly complex and exotic, with aromas of roasted strawberries, dried morels, crushed sweet herbs, and faded rose petals that move in and out of the foreground, and sometimes alternate with suggestions of strawberry preserves, chiodini mushrooms, and freshly turned earth, as the wine evolves in the glass. On the palate, a warm, concentrated core of sweet red fruit, spices, and sous bois fans out like a peacock’s tail over time, and grows more and more voluminous, yet remains wonderfully firm, fresh, and vibrant. And the long, fine-grained tannins leave you wishing the finish would never end. This is not like drinking young wine.