Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
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 Échezeaux 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.
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Inc. VAT£48,475.24
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Inc. VAT£59,641.24
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Vinous (92)
(90% destemmed): Good deep red. Ethereal aromas of red berries, minerals and spicy oak. Juicy, spicy and penetrating, conveying a light touch and excellent energy to the flavors of red fruits, pepper, herbs and licorice. Finishes with firm, ripe tannins and a spicy perfume that leaves the mouth refreshed.Inc. VAT£5,706.41 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Corton Grand Cru contains fruit from plots of replanted vines for the first time this year, and also 80% whole bunches. Bertrand de Villaine told me that the blending was done a little later than their other crus. Matured in 100% new oak, it has an attractive bouquet of brambly red fruit, blueberry and scents of crushed stone, all nicely detailed. The palate is taut on the entry with an almost chalky texture and notes of bitter cherries and black currants. Fine symmetry toward the finish. Excellent.Inc. VAT£5,652.41 -
Inc. VAT£16,213.61
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Inc. VAT£47,976.29
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Vinous (90)
Expressive aromas of cassis, redcurrant, truffle, espresso and spicy oak. Dense, sweet and oaky, with lovely gentle texture and nicely buffered tannins. Stylish rather than powerful, and already displaying a lot of personality. This wine is usually overshadowed by those that follow in this cellar, but it's a lovely Echezeaux.Inc. VAT£25,938.04 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95)
From Les Poulaillères. I still do not feel that I have fully understood this vintage, but the wine was excellent. The colour demonstrated a depth rarely found in the other examples and there was an impressive weight of fruit on the nose without losing any sense of balance or of plate. This was the most mouth-filling example of Echezeaux in the tasting and clearly now happily entering its window if drinkability. It held up very well in the glass too. Barely short of a 5th star.Inc. VAT£25,938.04 -
Vinous (93)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 2002 Echézeaux came across as quite powerful, rich and deep, with sweet tannins and layers of round, generous fruit.Inc. VAT£25,167.64 -
Vinous (93-95)
Things really take off with the 2010 Echézeaux, which is a meaningful step up from the earlier wines in this tasting. The 2010 surprises for its size and sheer volume. It boasts phenomenal depth and richness in its intense dark red fruit. The sheer energy and vibrancy of the fruit is remarkable. A huge, explosive finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is a great showing from the Echézeaux, even if the 2010 is notably bigger than is typical for this bottling. The Echézeaux was the last fruit to be picked in 2010.Inc. VAT£25,297.24 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
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.Inc. VAT£20,839.24 -
Burghound (95)
This is notably more floral as well as more restrained and what is interesting is that even though the violet-inflected fruit profile is just as ripe, it runs toward the red side of the spectrum while displaying a similar variety of spice components that includes a hint of sandalwood. This too is impressively constituted but despite the power and concentration the broad-shouldered flavors retain plenty of underlying tension as well as lovely precision before culminating in a massively long, balanced and harmonious if youthfully austere finale where the only nit is a hint of warmth. By the usual standards of this wine I would not describe the 2015 version as massive though at the same time it is beautifully proportioned.Inc. VAT£25,297.24 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru is similarly lifted, with a bit darker fruit and more structure than the Corton. A deceptive, beguiling Burgundy, the 2017 shows the mid-weight structure of the year. Here too, time in the glass brings out the wine’s vertical feel and overall intensity. The 2017 needs time to soften, but it is incredibly persistent and impeccable in its balance. Readers should expect an especially austere Echézeaux that is going to require cellaring. The fruit was brought in on September 13 and 15, with a day’s break in between because of rain.Inc. VAT£6,059.21 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a very deep hue. The extraordinarily pure bouquet features black cherries intermingling with blueberry and oyster shell, and later a hint of potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, edgy and stony, with dark berry fruit and a little spicier than I recall apropos of previous Echézeaux at this stage. It might just need a little length, but otherwise it is a wine determined not to be outshone by its Grand Cru siblings.Inc. VAT£6,523.61 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.Inc. VAT£6,280.01 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.Inc. VAT£19,943.09 -
Inc. VAT£4,666.09
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Vinous (94)
I have been fortunate to taste the 1971 Grands Echézeaux four times now (always a privilege when it is your birth year). This 1971 bottle is as good as the best I have come across despite some turbidity in the glass. Yet the bouquet is divine and ethereal with vestiges of red cherry and strawberry, wild heather (again - just like previous bottles) and pressed flowers. The palate is fully mature with tart red fruit, brown spice and that telltale sense of transparency towards the finish. It is not a dense or powerful wine and I suspect it was better around 20 years of age. But it has aged gracefully and maintained such exceptional balance and poise that you cannot help surrendering to its charms. Tasted at a private lunch at Howard's Gourmet.Inc. VAT£9,313.69 -
Inc. VAT£36,304.84
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Vinous (95)
The 2002 Grands-Echézeaux was more aromatic, higher-toned and feminine in its personality. It, too, was quite pretty.Inc. VAT£25,880.44 -
Vinous (95)
The 2020 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 25 August at 33.5hL/ha. It is clearly a level up on the nose over its “kid brother” with more mineralité and terroir expression. With dark berry fruit, incense and a light sous-bois element, there is a sense of cohesion and refinement that is very alluring. The palate is medium-bodied with razor-sharp tannins. Symmetry from start to finish, it's spicier than the Echézeaux with a slightly confit finish. This feels very persistent and will age with aplomb. Gorgeous. 960 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.Inc. VAT£18,174.29 -
Wine Advocate (84)
The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 1994 La Tâche Grand Cru does not transcend the limitations of this challenging vintage, offering up a rather pedestrian bouquet of red-black fruit and licorice, becoming more and more dominated by its lavish application of high-quality new oak as it sits in the glass and never revealing any of the aromatic drama of which La Tâche is capable. On the palate, the wine is chunky and foursquare, with bright acids and a certain tannic asperity that suggests this is unlikely to change in any critical respect in the foreseeable future.Inc. VAT£40,198.84 -
Wine Spectator (98)
Sensational, very serious. Clearly a vin de garde, this burly, cellar-worthy red lacks suppleness now, but has amazing depth and great midpalate concentration. Displays lovely rose petal, violet, tar aromas followed by plum, black cherry and cassis flavors. Loads of ripe tannins leads to a sweet-tasting finish that won't quit. The best Romanée-Conti in years. Best after 2010. -PMInc. VAT£29,725.24 -
Wine Spectator (98)
Incredible harmony to this pedigreed red Burgundy. Closed on the nose now, it unfolds layers of elegant yet superripe fruit, wrapping around the palate, coating every taste bud with the silky flavors. Full-bodied and not powerful, it's just lovely, with an aftertaste that seems to last for minutes. Best from 2006 through 2036. -PMInc. VAT£49,916.44 -
Inc. VAT£47,946.04
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Vinous (100)
The 1999 La Tâche Grand Cru can be a perfect wine. This was very similar to the bottle opened in 2015. The bouquet sends you straight to heaven with so much purity and detail that frankly it is difficult to put into words. Fleeting glimpses of redcurrant, then pomegranate, broom and wilted rose petals, later more earthy scents, autumnal. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, a symmetry that is utterly entrancing and precision second to none. Hints of black plum and blood orange, that mineralité returning towards a finish so tensile you risk cutting yourself. I would have given this my second score had the 1999 Romanée-Conti been in the next glass. Tasted at the 1999 DRC dinner.Inc. VAT£71,308.84 -
Wine Enthusiast (97)
Truly glorious and incredibly seductive in the nose, with a complex but also subtle swirl of fruit, herbs and spice. Bold, sleek and velvety on the palate, with a distinct core that is pleasingly redolent of fresh-picked grape stems, but surrounded by ripe raspberry and cherry flavors. It evens out with hints of leather, toast, crème brûlée, rose petals, citrus and toast on the long, lingering finish.Inc. VAT£51,853.24 -
Vinous (96)
Our last Burgundy of the night was served blind. It was an explosive, ripe wine packed with an impressively dense core of fruit framed by new oak. It turned out to be the 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, a wine that is perhaps 15 years away from being ready to drink. Needless to say it was an incredible privilege to catch this wine at this relatively early stage.Inc. VAT£51,853.24 -
Inc. VAT£46,670.44
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Vinous (100)
The 2005 La Tâche is simply magnificent. There is not too much I can add. Deep, powerful and richly textured, the 2005 simply has it all. Time in the glass releases the aromatics, but it is the wine’s pure sensuality I find most enticing. A host of dark red and blue stone fruits, hard candy and wild flowers take center stage. Even with all of its intensity, the 2005 retains striking freshness and purity. Can it get better than this?Inc. VAT£62,220.04
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In Bond£40,380.00
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In Bond£49,685.00
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Vinous (92)
(90% destemmed): Good deep red. Ethereal aromas of red berries, minerals and spicy oak. Juicy, spicy and penetrating, conveying a light touch and excellent energy to the flavors of red fruits, pepper, herbs and licorice. Finishes with firm, ripe tannins and a spicy perfume that leaves the mouth refreshed.In Bond£4,750.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Corton Grand Cru contains fruit from plots of replanted vines for the first time this year, and also 80% whole bunches. Bertrand de Villaine told me that the blending was done a little later than their other crus. Matured in 100% new oak, it has an attractive bouquet of brambly red fruit, blueberry and scents of crushed stone, all nicely detailed. The palate is taut on the entry with an almost chalky texture and notes of bitter cherries and black currants. Fine symmetry toward the finish. Excellent.In Bond£4,705.00 -
In Bond£13,506.00
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In Bond£39,961.00
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Vinous (90)
Expressive aromas of cassis, redcurrant, truffle, espresso and spicy oak. Dense, sweet and oaky, with lovely gentle texture and nicely buffered tannins. Stylish rather than powerful, and already displaying a lot of personality. This wine is usually overshadowed by those that follow in this cellar, but it's a lovely Echezeaux.In Bond£21,599.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95)
From Les Poulaillères. I still do not feel that I have fully understood this vintage, but the wine was excellent. The colour demonstrated a depth rarely found in the other examples and there was an impressive weight of fruit on the nose without losing any sense of balance or of plate. This was the most mouth-filling example of Echezeaux in the tasting and clearly now happily entering its window if drinkability. It held up very well in the glass too. Barely short of a 5th star.In Bond£21,599.00 -
Vinous (93)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 2002 Echézeaux came across as quite powerful, rich and deep, with sweet tannins and layers of round, generous fruit.In Bond£20,957.00 -
Vinous (93-95)
Things really take off with the 2010 Echézeaux, which is a meaningful step up from the earlier wines in this tasting. The 2010 surprises for its size and sheer volume. It boasts phenomenal depth and richness in its intense dark red fruit. The sheer energy and vibrancy of the fruit is remarkable. A huge, explosive finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is a great showing from the Echézeaux, even if the 2010 is notably bigger than is typical for this bottling. The Echézeaux was the last fruit to be picked in 2010.In Bond£21,065.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
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.In Bond£17,350.00 -
Burghound (95)
This is notably more floral as well as more restrained and what is interesting is that even though the violet-inflected fruit profile is just as ripe, it runs toward the red side of the spectrum while displaying a similar variety of spice components that includes a hint of sandalwood. This too is impressively constituted but despite the power and concentration the broad-shouldered flavors retain plenty of underlying tension as well as lovely precision before culminating in a massively long, balanced and harmonious if youthfully austere finale where the only nit is a hint of warmth. By the usual standards of this wine I would not describe the 2015 version as massive though at the same time it is beautifully proportioned.In Bond£21,065.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru is similarly lifted, with a bit darker fruit and more structure than the Corton. A deceptive, beguiling Burgundy, the 2017 shows the mid-weight structure of the year. Here too, time in the glass brings out the wine’s vertical feel and overall intensity. The 2017 needs time to soften, but it is incredibly persistent and impeccable in its balance. Readers should expect an especially austere Echézeaux that is going to require cellaring. The fruit was brought in on September 13 and 15, with a day’s break in between because of rain.In Bond£5,044.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a very deep hue. The extraordinarily pure bouquet features black cherries intermingling with blueberry and oyster shell, and later a hint of potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, edgy and stony, with dark berry fruit and a little spicier than I recall apropos of previous Echézeaux at this stage. It might just need a little length, but otherwise it is a wine determined not to be outshone by its Grand Cru siblings.In Bond£5,431.00 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.In Bond£5,228.00 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.In Bond£16,600.00 -
In Bond£3,882.00
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Vinous (94)
I have been fortunate to taste the 1971 Grands Echézeaux four times now (always a privilege when it is your birth year). This 1971 bottle is as good as the best I have come across despite some turbidity in the glass. Yet the bouquet is divine and ethereal with vestiges of red cherry and strawberry, wild heather (again - just like previous bottles) and pressed flowers. The palate is fully mature with tart red fruit, brown spice and that telltale sense of transparency towards the finish. It is not a dense or powerful wine and I suspect it was better around 20 years of age. But it has aged gracefully and maintained such exceptional balance and poise that you cannot help surrendering to its charms. Tasted at a private lunch at Howard's Gourmet.In Bond£7,755.00 -
In Bond£30,238.00
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Vinous (95)
The 2002 Grands-Echézeaux was more aromatic, higher-toned and feminine in its personality. It, too, was quite pretty.In Bond£21,551.00 -
Vinous (95)
The 2020 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 25 August at 33.5hL/ha. It is clearly a level up on the nose over its “kid brother” with more mineralité and terroir expression. With dark berry fruit, incense and a light sous-bois element, there is a sense of cohesion and refinement that is very alluring. The palate is medium-bodied with razor-sharp tannins. Symmetry from start to finish, it's spicier than the Echézeaux with a slightly confit finish. This feels very persistent and will age with aplomb. Gorgeous. 960 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.In Bond£15,126.00 -
Wine Advocate (84)
The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 1994 La Tâche Grand Cru does not transcend the limitations of this challenging vintage, offering up a rather pedestrian bouquet of red-black fruit and licorice, becoming more and more dominated by its lavish application of high-quality new oak as it sits in the glass and never revealing any of the aromatic drama of which La Tâche is capable. On the palate, the wine is chunky and foursquare, with bright acids and a certain tannic asperity that suggests this is unlikely to change in any critical respect in the foreseeable future.In Bond£33,483.00 -
Wine Spectator (98)
Sensational, very serious. Clearly a vin de garde, this burly, cellar-worthy red lacks suppleness now, but has amazing depth and great midpalate concentration. Displays lovely rose petal, violet, tar aromas followed by plum, black cherry and cassis flavors. Loads of ripe tannins leads to a sweet-tasting finish that won't quit. The best Romanée-Conti in years. Best after 2010. -PMIn Bond£24,755.00 -
Wine Spectator (98)
Incredible harmony to this pedigreed red Burgundy. Closed on the nose now, it unfolds layers of elegant yet superripe fruit, wrapping around the palate, coating every taste bud with the silky flavors. Full-bodied and not powerful, it's just lovely, with an aftertaste that seems to last for minutes. Best from 2006 through 2036. -PMIn Bond£41,581.00 -
In Bond£39,939.00
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Vinous (100)
The 1999 La Tâche Grand Cru can be a perfect wine. This was very similar to the bottle opened in 2015. The bouquet sends you straight to heaven with so much purity and detail that frankly it is difficult to put into words. Fleeting glimpses of redcurrant, then pomegranate, broom and wilted rose petals, later more earthy scents, autumnal. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, a symmetry that is utterly entrancing and precision second to none. Hints of black plum and blood orange, that mineralité returning towards a finish so tensile you risk cutting yourself. I would have given this my second score had the 1999 Romanée-Conti been in the next glass. Tasted at the 1999 DRC dinner.In Bond£59,408.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (97)
Truly glorious and incredibly seductive in the nose, with a complex but also subtle swirl of fruit, herbs and spice. Bold, sleek and velvety on the palate, with a distinct core that is pleasingly redolent of fresh-picked grape stems, but surrounded by ripe raspberry and cherry flavors. It evens out with hints of leather, toast, crème brûlée, rose petals, citrus and toast on the long, lingering finish.In Bond£43,195.00 -
Vinous (96)
Our last Burgundy of the night was served blind. It was an explosive, ripe wine packed with an impressively dense core of fruit framed by new oak. It turned out to be the 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, a wine that is perhaps 15 years away from being ready to drink. Needless to say it was an incredible privilege to catch this wine at this relatively early stage.In Bond£43,195.00 -
In Bond£38,876.00
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Vinous (100)
The 2005 La Tâche is simply magnificent. There is not too much I can add. Deep, powerful and richly textured, the 2005 simply has it all. Time in the glass releases the aromatics, but it is the wine’s pure sensuality I find most enticing. A host of dark red and blue stone fruits, hard candy and wild flowers take center stage. Even with all of its intensity, the 2005 retains striking freshness and purity. Can it get better than this?In Bond£51,834.00