Ogier/Michel Côte-Rôtie La Belle Hélène Côte Rozier 1999

100 points Robert Parker: "The finest Cote Roties Ogier has made (and he agrees) are the 1999s. The perfect 1999 Cote Rozier Cuvee Belle Helene is a seamless, majestic classic with the kind of concentration found only in Guigal's top cuvees. It boasts gorgeously sweet tannin, enormous levels of both extract and concentration, and is not only a tour de force in winemaking, but a huge Cote Rotie Syrah fruit bomb with massive glycerin, layers of extract, and plenty of toasty new oak, which is marvelously integrated given the fact that it spent 30 months in 100% new wood barrels prior to being bottled without filtration. This outstanding effort requires 5-6 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Bravo! Michel Ogier and his son, Stephane, are producing spectacular wines. The only problem is that production is small. As I indicated last year, Ogier's 1999s are magical. Drink: 2008-2030. (4/29/02)"

100 points Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider): "Fully ready to go, this thrill-a-sip wine has it all. With 1 hour of decanting, the vibrant, fresh, pure, smoky, red fruits come alive on the nose and palate. There is fabulous energy, mouth-filling layers of perfectly ripe, red fruits, and a seamless finish that holds on for over 60 seconds. (Jul 2022)"

97.5 points CellarTracker.com community score.

96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 1999 Côte Rôtie La Belle Hélène also has elevated acidity, yet it brings another level of density and depth. An almost La Landonne-like bouquet of darker currants, smoked meats, truffly earth, and smoked game gives way to a medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated Côte Rôtie revealing resolved tannins, good mid-palate density, and again, high acidity that carries through the finish. This layered, complex, mature Côte Rôtie should keep for another decade. This is also the first vintage that was raised all in new French oak. (5/16/23)"

95+ points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "Full medium ruby-red. Knockout wild, superripe nose combines raspberry, truffle, woodsmoke, game and black olive tapenade. Penetrating and powerful, with uncanny intensity of flavor and terrific framing acidity. Not at all oaky today. A singular wine, with all manner of roasted herbs and pepper on the back end. The slow-mounting, amazingly long finish features a pungent flavor of tapenade that remained on my palate for easily 15 minutes. Ogier says this wine is now closing down and suggested that I forget about it for at least three or four years. But this utterly distinctive Cote-Rotie should be a cellar treasure. (Jan 2003)"