Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: 90 points

Saturated black-ruby to the rim (Quinta da Monbousquet?), as dark a wine as I saw on my tour of the Bordeaux region this spring. Explosive, liqueur-like aromas of black raspberry, roasted currant and espresso; distinctly port-like—no surprise, as "the grapes were like raisins," according to owner Gerard Perse. Sweet and superripe in the mouth; voluptuous and spherical. Showing no sign of the 100% new oak. Massive but smooth on the finish, with thoroughly ripe tannins. Even if this wine can't match Perse Pavie or Pavie-Decesse for sheer class, it's a remarkable vintage for Monbousquet.

Review date: May 2000

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 94 points

The dense ruby/purple-colored 1999 Monbousquet exhibits a port-like bouquet of super-ripe black cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with scents of coffee, tobacco, and vanilla. Tipping the scales at a whopping 14% alcohol (extremely high for Bordeaux), this wine, which spends 18 months in 100% new oak and is bottled unfined and unfiltered, is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was cropped at an amazingly low 30 hectoliters per hectare. It possesses an amazing texture, a mid-palate that you could get lost in, and a sensational 40-45 second finish. The exotic aromas, incredible texture, and abundant fruit are reminiscent of Pomerol's renowned micro-cuvee, Le Pin. The 1999 is even better from bottle than it was from cask. It is a remarkable effort for the vintage, Anticipated maturity: 2005-2017.

Review date: April 2002