Mission Codename Oldie goldie
“Unquestionably some of the most impressive sweet wines I’ve ever tasted.” – Jeb Dunnuck
Point for point, what wine scores a legit 99 touching perfection, AND it can be had for $59 today?
(Thanks to an unprecedented 80% OFF on an honest-to-goodness $293 a bottle originally.)
Plus, an extra $20 off when you buy 3 or more with the MADAME coupon code.
Like all that hoopla is not enough, we made it a sweet wine day with a couple of crazy good Port deals you’ll find here in the Store.
Robert Parker famously said that “These wines will be nearly impossible to find, but I hope those few lucky enough to latch onto a few 500ml bottles will lay some away and taste them against the greatest vintages of Château d’Yquem” calling Tirecul “An astonishing discovery!”
You hear that Yquem? Yes, you, costing 10-15 times more than this!
And guess what? This stash has been sleeping at the Château for a quarter century for you. With Jeb’s drinking window recommendation stretching out to 2049, there’s no doubt that this beauty has hit its PEAK, with the reserve to stay there for yet another quarter century, If you’re concerned beyond that, Jeb is right, “It will keep forever.”
And what to expect of a wine that’s nothing but individually selected berries with perfect noble rot only? Okay, first of all, there is no denying the sugar there, like way over 200g/L which is like double that of an average can of soda, all natural of course, nothing added as in the latter. Plus, the acidity is through the roof. And the blend is not something you find in Sauternes, half Semillon, and the other half Muscadelle, adding to the exotic elements. From candied fruits to roasted nuts to the umami notes through the roof, this is as complex as an elixir can get. A true nectar of the gods.
Final word on Tirecul from Robert Parker again “this estate goes to unprecedented lengths as well as labor to produce the most amazing sweet wines I have ever tasted… As is the case with so many of the world’s greatest wines, the production is insignificant.”
99 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Utterly sensational, the 1999 Cuvée Madame is another dessert wine from this estate that’s a match for anything in the world today. Coming from minuscule yields of roughly 12 hectoliters per hectare and aged 20-30 months in barrel, it offers a bouquet of honeyed tangerines, blood orange, crème caramel, and marmalade, huge richness, and a viscous, opulent texture, yet no sense of heaviness or weight due to its acidity and incredible purity. This is a serious, tour de force in dessert that I wish I could pour for every reader. Its only downside is its miniscule production. It will keep forever. Drink 2004-2049.”
What the Winery Says
1999 'Cuvée Madame' Monbazillac 500ml
- Winemakers
- Claudie & Bruno Bilancini
- Varietals
- 50% Sémillon, 50% Muscadelle
- Vintage
- 1999
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Appellation
- Monbazillac, Bergarac, South West France
- Vineyard size
- 9.2 ha
- Age of vines
- 50 years on average
- Orientation
- East and North
- Terroir
- Limestone and marly subsoil, clayey, siliceous and limestone topsoil
- Harvest dates
- October 11 - November 4, 1999
- Sorties
- 4 picks for botrytis
- Aging
- 30 months
- Barrels
- 100% neutral French oak