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.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£11,062.82 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2020 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru was picked on 26 and 28 August at 31.8hL/ha. There is a luxuriant lament on the nose that unfurls with each swirl. With blackberry and wild strawberry, a touch of potpourri and pressed iris flower, this is beautifully-defined. It needs five minutes before the aromatics are fully unwound. The palate is medium-bodied with lace-like tannins that frame the pure dark berry fruit, judiciously sprinkled with white pepper and bay leaf hints. There is a subtle crescendo towards its structured finish, a nuanced marine note lingering on the aftertaste. Sublime. 1,718 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93.0 |
Inc. VAT
£25,945.24 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 16 (JR) |
Inc. VAT
£12,060.02 |
|||||
Jancis Robinson (16)This is the wine made from the results of a second passage through DRC’s Grands Crus, a week after the main harvest, which tends to be from the younger vines in the older vineyards. (It was also made in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006. ‘We make this wine only when we think it can announce the vintage,’ Aubert de Villiaine said, adding, ‘I’m equivocal about bottling it. There’s good fruit but it’s far from full.’) Very light, fresh nose but nothing like the usual DRC weight. Pretty but a little bit skinny. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£20,172.04 |
|||||
Vinous (92)The Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet is a wine the domaine has quietly made for some time. In the past, it was mostly allocated to restaurants in France, but that has started to change. Seductive and beautifully perfumed, the 2019 1er Cru is a fabulous introduction to the Vosne-Romanée wines that form the core of this tasting. Soaring aromatics and silky contours give the 2019 its distinct air of sensuality. Dark-fleshed fruit, lavender and menthol are some of the notes that grace the exquisite 2019. The 1er Cru is a blend of mostly young vines from Romanée St. Vivant and La Tâche, picked early and co-fermented. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£22,160.69 |
|||||
Vinous (90)The 2020 Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet 1er Cru was cropped at 18.8hL/ha. It is slightly deeper in color compared to other vintages. It has a precocious and pure bouquet with redcurrant, cranberry and just a touch of peony. The palate is sweet and candied on the entry, high-toned with a light spicy element emerging with time. This is one of the most outgoing Duvault-Blochets that I have encountered. There's more blueberry fruit, almost pastille-like, towards the finish. Joyous but it leaves the cerebral aspects of Pinot Noir to its fellow cuvées. 679 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow's tasting in London. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£9,211.00 |
|||||
Vinous (96)The 2020 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru was picked on 26 and 28 August at 31.8hL/ha. There is a luxuriant lament on the nose that unfurls with each swirl. With blackberry and wild strawberry, a touch of potpourri and pressed iris flower, this is beautifully-defined. It needs five minutes before the aromatics are fully unwound. The palate is medium-bodied with lace-like tannins that frame the pure dark berry fruit, judiciously sprinkled with white pepper and bay leaf hints. There is a subtle crescendo towards its structured finish, a nuanced marine note lingering on the aftertaste. Sublime. 1,718 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93.0 |
In Bond
£21,605.00 |
|||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 16 (JR) |
In Bond
£10,042.00 |
|||||
Jancis Robinson (16)This is the wine made from the results of a second passage through DRC’s Grands Crus, a week after the main harvest, which tends to be from the younger vines in the older vineyards. (It was also made in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006. ‘We make this wine only when we think it can announce the vintage,’ Aubert de Villiaine said, adding, ‘I’m equivocal about bottling it. There’s good fruit but it’s far from full.’) Very light, fresh nose but nothing like the usual DRC weight. Pretty but a little bit skinny. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£16,794.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92)The Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet is a wine the domaine has quietly made for some time. In the past, it was mostly allocated to restaurants in France, but that has started to change. Seductive and beautifully perfumed, the 2019 1er Cru is a fabulous introduction to the Vosne-Romanée wines that form the core of this tasting. Soaring aromatics and silky contours give the 2019 its distinct air of sensuality. Dark-fleshed fruit, lavender and menthol are some of the notes that grace the exquisite 2019. The 1er Cru is a blend of mostly young vines from Romanée St. Vivant and La Tâche, picked early and co-fermented. |
|||||||||
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90 (VN) |
In Bond
£18,448.00 |
|||||
Vinous (90)The 2020 Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet 1er Cru was cropped at 18.8hL/ha. It is slightly deeper in color compared to other vintages. It has a precocious and pure bouquet with redcurrant, cranberry and just a touch of peony. The palate is sweet and candied on the entry, high-toned with a light spicy element emerging with time. This is one of the most outgoing Duvault-Blochets that I have encountered. There's more blueberry fruit, almost pastille-like, towards the finish. Joyous but it leaves the cerebral aspects of Pinot Noir to its fellow cuvées. 679 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow's tasting in London. |