One of the best Echézeaux I've had from DRC in recent years, with very little to choose between it and the normally superior Grands Echézeaux bottling, this is more deeply coloured than usual. It's spicy and stemmy, with a good core of sweetness, bright acidity and textured fruit.
Drinking Window: 2016 - 2027
Review Date: 1st January 2014
A rich, explosive wine, the 2012 Échézeaux is a real overachiever. Here the flavors are expansive, dense and layered, with all of the intensity of the year very much in evidence. Discussing the relative merits of vineyards is one of the central aspects of appreciating Burgundy. This tasting shows why Échézeaux is not as highly regarded as some other grand crus. Specifically, the quality of the wines is more vintage dependent here than it is elsewhere.
Here the floral and spice characters are quite prominent on the sandalwood and spice suffused red and dark currant aromas. The suave yet well-detailed medium-bodied flavors brim with dry extract before terminating in a very firm but not hard green tea-inflected finish that delivers excellent length and impressive depth. I very much like the balance and about the only nit is a hint of warmth. As I have observed several times recently, this wine continues to make real progress relative to what was typically good but not exceptional quality in the context of the appellation. 2012 definitely continues that upward progress.
I adored the 2012 Echézeaux Grand Cru from barrel and I adore it from bottle. Picked on September 29-30 at 22 hectoliters per hectare, those explosive aromatics from barrel are replicated here with bright red cherries, kirsch and rose petals, all beautifully defined and imbued with a sense of exuberance. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, a dash of white pepper on the tip of the tongue and a beautifully poised, elegant finish. This is an Echézeaux determined to be above its station. Wonderful. 1,057 cases produced.
Drinking Window: 2017 - 2032
Reviewer Name: Neal Martin
Review Date: 28th February 2015
Mid depth of crimson. Immediately much nervier and more savoury than the Corton just before it. Open and transparent with great savour and just a hint of milky coffee. But chiefly this is muscular and racy. Great energy and surprisingly open. It would be dangerously easy to drink it already. Presumably it will close up…? Not much change after 45 minutes though the energy is still impressive.
- Details
-
- Year 2012
- Colour Red
- Country France
- Region Burgundy
- Sub Region Echezeaux
- Designation
- Classification
- Pack Size 3x75cl
- ABV 13.00°
- Drinking Window 2017 - 2032
- Drinking Recommendation Drinking Now, will improve
- LWIN 102865820120300750
- Reviews (5)
-
96 Tim Atkin
One of the best Echézeaux I've had from DRC in recent years, with very little to choose between it and the normally superior Grands Echézeaux bottling, this is more deeply coloured than usual. It's spicy and stemmy, with a good core of sweetness, bright acidity and textured fruit.
Drinking Window: 2016 - 2027
Review Date: 1st January 2014
94 Antonio Galloni - VinousA rich, explosive wine, the 2012 Échézeaux is a real overachiever. Here the flavors are expansive, dense and layered, with all of the intensity of the year very much in evidence. Discussing the relative merits of vineyards is one of the central aspects of appreciating Burgundy. This tasting shows why Échézeaux is not as highly regarded as some other grand crus. Specifically, the quality of the wines is more vintage dependent here than it is elsewhere.
93 BurghoundHere the floral and spice characters are quite prominent on the sandalwood and spice suffused red and dark currant aromas. The suave yet well-detailed medium-bodied flavors brim with dry extract before terminating in a very firm but not hard green tea-inflected finish that delivers excellent length and impressive depth. I very much like the balance and about the only nit is a hint of warmth. As I have observed several times recently, this wine continues to make real progress relative to what was typically good but not exceptional quality in the context of the appellation. 2012 definitely continues that upward progress.
92 Wine AdvocateI adored the 2012 Echézeaux Grand Cru from barrel and I adore it from bottle. Picked on September 29-30 at 22 hectoliters per hectare, those explosive aromatics from barrel are replicated here with bright red cherries, kirsch and rose petals, all beautifully defined and imbued with a sense of exuberance. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, a dash of white pepper on the tip of the tongue and a beautifully poised, elegant finish. This is an Echézeaux determined to be above its station. Wonderful. 1,057 cases produced.
Drinking Window: 2017 - 2032
Reviewer Name: Neal Martin
Review Date: 28th February 2015
18 Jancis RobinsonMid depth of crimson. Immediately much nervier and more savoury than the Corton just before it. Open and transparent with great savour and just a hint of milky coffee. But chiefly this is muscular and racy. Great energy and surprisingly open. It would be dangerously easy to drink it already. Presumably it will close up…? Not much change after 45 minutes though the energy is still impressive.
- Producer
-
About Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (aka DRC) is an iconic producer – and has maintained this position for many decades. DRC has a fascinating and lengthy history spanning the ownership of its namesake vineyard by the Bourbon Prince of Conti, through the French Revolution to the current owner of the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families. Managing 25 hectares of exclusively Grand Cru vineyards, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the sole Burgundian estate to bottle nothing other than the pinnacle of the region’s classification system. Chief amongst all Burgundy producers to claim holdings in most of the magical terroir in Vosne-Romanée, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is famously hailed as the King of Vosne-Romanée. Possessing only the best vineyard in the region, two of their most sought after red wines being Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, both of which are monopole holdings and frequently amongst the best offerings in Burgundy. Apart from Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, DRC also produces four other Grand Cru wines from Vosne-Romanée at ultra-limited quantity each year: Romanée St-Vivant Grand Cru (approx. 1,500 cases/year), Richebourg Grand Cru (approx. 1,000 cases/year), Échezeaux Grand Cru (approx. 1,340 cases/year) and Grand Échezeau Grand Cru (approx. 1,150 cases/year). The style of the DRC wines is rich, intense, silky, transparent and quite light on the aromatic palate with more red than dark nuances. The use of whole clusters gives a very rich aromatic profile, and a very high complexity as the wine ages. All the wines are very reflective of the terroir, and the difference in terroir is very clear even when the wines are very young and powerful. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti normally use 100% new oak on the wines.
- Vintage Comparison
-
OvervaluedUndervalued
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru - Offers on Cru
- Valuation Tools
-
Wine Rating is intended to show the quality of the wine from an investment perspective. It takes into account the prices achieved by the producer, the quality of the vintage and the critics' scores for this wine. AAA is the best rating, and B the most speculative.
Please wait a few seconds whilst we process the market data for this wine...
Calculating...Investment Rating
Show Investment Rating GuideWine Rating is intended to show the quality of the wine from an investment perspective. It takes into account the prices achieved by the producer, the quality of the vintage and the critics' scores for this wine. AAA is the best rating, and B the most speculative.
- Graph
