Ch. Caronne Ste. Gemme 1999 55% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot 5% petit verdot.

A mild and humid autumn followed by a rather dry winter. The start of spring shows a hectic climate which leads to a difficult flowering. June and July are hot and dry whilst August shows some rains. Finally the harvest starts mid September under glorious conditions.

Medium full colour starting to show a slight evololution.. Soft, ripe and mellow nose. More merlots than usual .A well  balanced wine, some oak with good  red fruit  and a good grip with ripe tannins. Chocolate, berry aftertaste with an agreable freshness. Long and positive finish. 

On the subtle side rather than sheer power.

 CLIVE COATES M.W.

THE VINE June 2002

Good colour. Good fruit here on the nose. Still quite young. Good substance. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe and fresh it has charm if not the greatest depth. But the finish is positive and the wine is not short of class. Good plus. From 2007.         15.5/20