Vinous (93+)

Savory herbs, mint, bright red berries, spices, iron, crushed rocks and autumn leaves are some of the notes that grace the palate in the 2011 Corton. The 2011 is beautifully centered, with underlying veins of acidity and minerality that run through its core. At the same time, the precocious vintage has yielded a Corton that is unusually supple and tender in its youth. This is a model of pure class. The gentle, enveloping finish gives the 2011 much of its early appeal.

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.

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.

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.

Vinous (92+)

Bright medium red. Wild perfume of strawberry, raspberry, pepper, caramel and earth. Lovely precision and lift to the tangy raspberry, cherry and spice flavors complicated by saline minerality. Quite tight today, showing a restrained sweetness. Finishes with firm-edged, slightly tough tannins and excellent length. A very good vintage for this grand cru blend.

Wine Advocate (94)

Surpassing the 2015 rendition, the 2016 Corton Grand Cru is the finest wine that the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has produced to date from the holdings of Prince Florent de Mérode. Wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, currant leaf, raspberries and menthol, discretely framed by new wood, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and intense, gaining in depth and dimension as it sits in the glass, with tangy underpinning acids and powdery tannins, culminating in a long finish. Aubert de Villaine recounted that the Domaine replanted a third of Corton-Bressandes while also grafting over the Mérodes' young vines to their own massal selections of Pinot Fin. While this is built for four decade's evolution in the cellar, the balance and concentration are such that it could be drunk with pleasure in its youth.

Vinous (93)

The 2017 Corton Grand Cru is floral, gracious and so inviting. White pepper, mint and pine perk up the red cherry and cranberry fruit flavors nicely. In 2017, the Corton is decidedly ethereal and pointed, with terrific energy and tons of class. It will be interesting to see how it develops, as there is a good deal of structure beneath. Even in the short time I was able to follow it in this tasting, the Corton opened up very nicely. This fruit was brought in on September 4, and was the domaine’s first pick.

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.

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.

Vinous (94)

The 2019 Corton Grand Cru is a big, rich wine that announces the vintage in style. Black cherry, plum and lavender are some of the many notes that are dialed up in the 2019. This is an especially somber, almost brooding Corton with a good deal of lift from the whole clusters that lends verve and energy. Hints of incense, dried herbs and gravel build into the heady finish. Stem influence is a bit more pronounced here than it is in the other wines, but the overall impression is of a Burgundy that marries elegance with power. Yields were just 15 hectoliters per hectare.

Vinous (93)

The 2020 Corton Grand Cru is the usual blend from Clos du Roi (Bressandes and Les Renardes leased from the Prince de Mérode family), and it was picked on 26 August at 24.6hL/ha. This is focused and a little backward on the nose; it needs a little encouragement from the glass. It rewards patience with subtle potpourri and incense aromas. An orange rind touch complements the dark berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a satisfying degree of edginess and delineation. Sour cherry nuances underlie the carapace of higher-toned blue fruit with a persistent and succulent finish. Maybe it just needs a little more mineralité on the aftertaste, nevertheless, it remains a fine Corton that will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. 454 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

Vinous (93)

The 2020 Corton Grand Cru is the usual blend from Clos du Roi (Bressandes and Les Renardes leased from the Prince de Mérode family), and it was picked on 26 August at 24.6hL/ha. This is focused and a little backward on the nose; it needs a little encouragement from the glass. It rewards patience with subtle potpourri and incense aromas. An orange rind touch complements the dark berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a satisfying degree of edginess and delineation. Sour cherry nuances underlie the carapace of higher-toned blue fruit with a persistent and succulent finish. Maybe it just needs a little more mineralité on the aftertaste, nevertheless, it remains a fine Corton that will give 20 years of drinking pleasure. 454 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

At just under two hectares in size, this plot of land represents a rather insignificant micro-dot, producing a meagre 462 cases on average annually. Romanée-Conti is flanked on all sides by exceedingly grand and much larger Grands Crus, ranging from its mighty namesake La Romanée to the imperious Richebourg. From the sky, Romanée-Conti even looks to have been squeezed by its bulky neighbours into a perfect square sitting mid-slope with a barely-perceptible rise of 3-4 meters. 

 

The location of Romanée-Conti is one possible factor in its staggering excellence. Its tiny size sees it cover the absolute heart of the absolute best position in Vosne-Romanée. Its situation and gently sloping aspect ensure maximum exposure to daytime sunlight and heat - the grapes here generally ripen earlier than in its esteemed cousins which, in a cool climate such as Burgundy, enables the fruit to develop levels upon levels of flavour complexity whilst retaining acidity. Whilst the vineyard has occasionally been hit by hail, the great scourge of Burgundy, Aubert de Villaine has never once seen it blighted by frost or mineral deficiency. 

 

Those broaching their very first bottle of Romanée-Conti often make the mistake of forecasting the same qualities as other wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti but augmented. More of the power of Richebourg, more of the richness of La Tâche etc. This is a mistake. Entirely less dense and opulent than the others, Romanée-Conti is the platonic ideal of delicacy and intensity made manifest. The very finest and most elaborate tapestry weaves its way through your olfactory nerves, the bouquet of roses and tar fixes you like a blue eyed-stare. Romanée-Conti glides across one’s palate like Alexander positioning himself atop the fallen Darius’ throne - this wine is not interested in pleasing you, it wants its drinkers to bask in its glory.  

Vinous (85)

Many see the mid-1970s as the nadir for the domaine, and this 1975 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru is frankly more interesting than pleasurable. Completely bricked through to the core, it has a light, airy nose displaying vestiges of red fruit, molasses and just a slight vegetal note, though not as marked as expected. The palate is, in fact, quite well balanced, though it is shallow and tapers severely toward the finish, and leaves a sous-bois aftertaste. Not terrible by a long shot, though as a postscript, it is interesting to note how favorably the 1975 Echézeaux showed when poured blind just a few weeks later.

Wine Advocate (100)

The Romanee-Conti is utterly mind blowing. The heady, intoxicating bouquet delivered penetrating and sublime aromas that were even more intense than those from the La Tache. On the palate, there is a veritable smorgasbord of earthly and heavenly delights. Needless to say, it is very rich, very opulent, and very concentrated. Red burgundy and red wine do not get any better than this. My guess is that it will peak between 1990 and 2005, as it is a bit more forward than either the La Tache or Richebourg.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 1990 Romanee-Conti should ultimately be the most compelling and complex of the DRC wines. Normally it possesses a lighter color than either La Tache or Richebourg, but in 1990 it boasts a surprisingly saturated color that is the equal of La Tache and Richebourg. The nose offers up sweet, clove, cinnamon, and blackberry aromas intermingled with toasty, smoky new oak. Lavishly rich and full-bodied, with abundant tannins, this profound, surprisingly large-scaled, tannic wine boasts more muscle than usual. Let's hope that the billionaires that buy it have as much taste as money. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2025 .

Vinous (94)

The 1993 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on September 27 at just 14.87hl/ha. It is certainly a bit funky at first with suggestions of TCA. Instinct tells me it just needs time to breathe and sure enough, after two hours it is quite a beautiful wine. It is blessed with an ethereal bouquet, beautifully defined yet reserved compared to other vintages. Scents of raspberry preserve, damp undergrowth (wet moss) with subtle hints of fresh tobacco and cedar all combined so effortlessly. The palate is extremely well balanced with sublime tannins, maybe a little foursquare yet precise on the finish. This is drinking so well now, but based on this bottle, do not be afraid to decant. A very capable Romanée-Conti, though I might have expected more given how this vintage has blossomed in recent years. 3,600 bottles produced. Tasted at the Romanée-Conti dinner at the Connaught Hotel.

Wine Advocate (93)

On January 17, 1997, a Belgian wine merchant held a comprehensive tasting of virtually every Montrachet at the Crillon Hotel in Paris. In addition to myself, Pierre Rovani was the only other American in attendance. The group was evenly split between members of the Belgian/French wine trade and private consumers. I was permitted to insert several top California Chardonnays in the tasting as "ringers." I provided the Peter Michael Chardonnay Pointe Rouge and the 1992 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay. The tasting was impeccably organized, with the wines served blind in multiple flights. The results, although not unbelievable to me, were shocking to the group of serious Belgian and French wine tasters. Two of the French tasters were well-known winemakers. One of them who asked to remain anonymous proclaimed that in large part, the group of Montrachets was "a crime against France's patrimony." The group overwhelmingly rated the Peter Michael Chardonnay Pointe Rouge the top wine. Several tasters recognized that it was a California wine, but they still felt it was by far the most compelling, complex, and complete wine of the tasting. Second place went to another "ringer," the Domaine Valette Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos de Monsieur Noly Vieilles Vignes, third place was awarded to the Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne another ringer, and fourth place went to yet another "ringer," the 1992 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay. Of the Montrachets, three producers produced wines that certainly merited outstanding ratings. The fifth place wine was the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet; sixth place went to Domaine Lafon's Montrachet; and seventh place was the Domaine Ramonet Montrachet. My numerical ratings generally mirrored the group's, with the Peter Michael Pointe Rouge receiving 97 points, Domaine Valette Pouilly-Fuisse Clos de Monsieur Noly Vieilles Vignes, 95; Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, 96+; Mount Eden 1992 Chardonnay Estate, 94; DRC Montrachet, 93; Domaine Lafon Montrachet, 91+; Domaine Ramonet Montrachet, 90+; and most of the other Montrachets in the mid to upper-eighties, except for the appalling Montrachets from Delagrange-Bachelet and Rene Fleurot. A tropical fruit-scented, disjointed the acidity stuck out as it does in many New World Chardonnays Robert Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de la Guiche was another underachiever. Only four of the Montrachets possessed the depth and richness or the group's top three wines. Perhaps the most remarkable conclusion of this tasting was that none of the Montrachets displayed the complexity of the group's favorite three wines. And let's not hear any whining about these Montrachets needing 5-10, perhaps 15 years of cellaring. That may be the case in vintages such as 1986 or 1995, but the Montrachets are extremely forward, low acid wines except those that appeared to have had far too much acidity added. Too many of them were diluted, disjointed, flabby, and flat compared to the non-Montrachet wines of this tasting.

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.

LaRVF (95)

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru 1997

Vinous (92+)

Very good red-ruby color. Perfumed, expressive aromas of red cherry, rose petal and nutty oak; marginally less precise than La Tache. The sweetest and thickest of these '98s, with impressive volume and the spherical shape characteristic of Romanee-Conti. Flavors are still quite unevolved, and the wine gives the impression of being in an awkward stage today.

Vinous (92+)

Very good red-ruby color. Perfumed, expressive aromas of red cherry, rose petal and nutty oak; marginally less precise than La Tache. The sweetest and thickest of these '98s, with impressive volume and the spherical shape characteristic of Romanee-Conti. Flavors are still quite unevolved, and the wine gives the impression of being in an awkward stage today.

Vinous (92+)

Very good red-ruby color. Perfumed, expressive aromas of red cherry, rose petal and nutty oak; marginally less precise than La Tache. The sweetest and thickest of these '98s, with impressive volume and the spherical shape characteristic of Romanee-Conti. Flavors are still quite unevolved, and the wine gives the impression of being in an awkward stage today.

Vinous (97)

Even at 14 years of age, the 2001 remains virile and imposing, which is quite rare as Romanée-Conti is so often an elusive, more sensual wine. The 2001, on the other hand, is a wine of transparency and energy, two of the signatures of the 2001s here, yet the aromas and flavors remain a bit on the dark side. Although the 2001 is strikingly beautiful today, it will only improve and transform over time, as this tasting amply shows.

Vinous (97+)

($3120) Good red-ruby. Knockout nose of black raspberry, tobacco and flowers; vibrant for 2003. Then dense, creamy and seamless yet almost shockingly vibrant, with outstanding balance and an impression of firm acids. In fact, this is the highest in acidity of these 2003s, with a pH of 3.5 (the rest are between 3.6 and 3.65, according to Villaine). The mounting finish goes on and on. Great wine, perhaps monumental.

Vinous (94+)

(est. 2,500-$2,900) Good deep red. Less expressive but still utterly sexy nose offers plum, raspberry, flowers, smoke and earth. Hints at its superb volume but this is quite closed and tightly knit today, and much less expressive and sweet than La Tache. But this superconcentrated wine seemed to gain sweetness with aeration, showing an increasingly fat, seamless texture without any loss of energy as it opened in the glass. Really saturates the palate on the aftertaste, where the tannins are thoroughly buffered by the wine's strong extract and superb depth.

Decanter (100)

Medium-full weight. Very lovely, almost Musigny-like fruit here. Complex, concentrated and intense. Marvelous harmony. Very, very long and multi-dimensional. This is very special.