Wine Advocate (96)

The 2014 Richebourg Grand Cru was picked on 20 and 21 September at 29.75 hectoliters per hectare. This has a gorgeous, flamboyant, vivacious bouquet with blossoming red cherries, crushed strawberry, less undergrowth scents compared to the showing in barrel, replaced by pressed rose petal notes. There is wonderful delineation and exuberance here. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively, spicy, white pepper-tinged entry, just a faint hint of black truffle tincturing the dark berry fruit. There is superb backbone and density here, a Richebourg delivering on its promise from barrel, plus it comes armed with an extraordinarily long aftertaste that evokes marine-like images, something wild and estuarine. While not as flattering as the Romanée-Saint-Vivant at the moment, just wait ten years. 1,160 cases produced. Tasted February 2017.

Jancis Robinson (20)

More notably stemmy than their others in this vintage, giving a soy, leaf and iodine character as well as spice and wood scents. An absolute belter, showing extraordinary fruit definition – cranberry, redcurrant, rhubarb – and pitch-perfect harmony on the finish. It’s the scent that stays with you, though – the unholy complexity of flavour that makes such wines so special.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Vines aged 46 years. 24 hl/ha. Harvested 23–24 September. Bottled late March 2018. 868 dozen produced. Lightish ruby. Very pretty cherry fruit jumping from the glass and just a touch of wild herbs from the whole-bunch influence. Opens up to a more peppery lift, almost makes me want to sneeze. I’ve never taken snuff but I wonder if the revitalising effect is similar? There’s still all that tangy wild cherry on the palate but it is more severe than I expected from the nose, really corseted by the super-fine but strict tannins. Amazing power after such a pretty first impression. As with the Romanée-St-Vivant, the whole-bunch aroma – very hard to describe but it has a sort of fresh, herbal, dusty, woodland effect – grows in the glass. Darker on the finish, really sinewy and perfectly firm, compact, endless. (JH)

Jancis Robinson (19)

Vines aged 46 years. 24 hl/ha. Harvested 23–24 September. Bottled late March 2018. 868 dozen produced. Lightish ruby. Very pretty cherry fruit jumping from the glass and just a touch of wild herbs from the whole-bunch influence. Opens up to a more peppery lift, almost makes me want to sneeze. I’ve never taken snuff but I wonder if the revitalising effect is similar? There’s still all that tangy wild cherry on the palate but it is more severe than I expected from the nose, really corseted by the super-fine but strict tannins. Amazing power after such a pretty first impression. As with the Romanée-St-Vivant, the whole-bunch aroma – very hard to describe but it has a sort of fresh, herbal, dusty, woodland effect – grows in the glass. Darker on the finish, really sinewy and perfectly firm, compact, endless. (JH)

Vinous (95)

The 2017 Richebourg Grand Cru is a Burgundy of Cistercian austerity. Searing tannins give the Richebourg its trademark sense of energy and vibrancy. White pepper, mint, dried flowers and bright red berry fruit are all beautifully delineated, with underlying beams of minerality and salinity that lend dimension. Richebourg is very rarely finessed, but is more typically a wine of brawn and pure power, as it is here. A range of bright, floral/savory accents suggest a bit more elegance may lie ahead. We will see. My colleagues appreciate the Richebourg more than I do. Harvest began the afternoon of September 8, after Romanée-Conti. Rain on the 9th caused a break in picking for the day. The last of the Richebourg came in on the 10th.

Vinous (96-98)

The 2018 Richebourg Grand Cru boasts one of the most expressive aromatics from barrel, offering dark berries mixed with crushed limestone, pressed flowers and oyster shell, the fruit becoming more intense with aeration. The palate is extremely cohesive with unerring symmetry, filigreed tannins (perhaps more like a Romanée-Saint-Vivant) and immense depth endowed upon its arching, cathedral-like structure. This is a brilliant Richebourg in the making.

Vinous (96-98)

The 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru, the first cuvées to be picked on September 15–16 at 21h/ha, has a very intense marine-influenced bouquet, Japanese nori and shucked oyster shells permeating the black fruit. This is very distinctive from other Richebourgs that I have tasted. The palate displays exquisite balance and astonishing focus. One of the most saline Richebourg wines that I have tasted from the domaine out of barrel, this exerts a gentle grip in the mouth and culminates in a sapid finish that rivets your feet to the ground. Profound.

Vinous (95)

The 2020 Richebourg Grand Cru was picked on 23 and 24 August, the first fruit to be picked. Yields are 31.7hL/ha. It has a very perfumed bouquet, with more intensity than the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, but I wonder whether it matches it for complexity? There is a lovely background ember scent with Earl Grey loitering in the wings. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, slightly confit on the entry (more so than the RSV), building towards a very convincing finish that possibly doesn’t fully deliver the precision of the previous vintage. This is forthright, but personally, I would like more intellect to develop, a facet perhaps it is hiding up its sleeve. 992 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

Vinous (95)

The 2020 Richebourg Grand Cru was picked on 23 and 24 August, the first fruit to be picked. Yields are 31.7hL/ha. It has a very perfumed bouquet, with more intensity than the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, but I wonder whether it matches it for complexity? There is a lovely background ember scent with Earl Grey loitering in the wings. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, slightly confit on the entry (more so than the RSV), building towards a very convincing finish that possibly doesn’t fully deliver the precision of the previous vintage. This is forthright, but personally, I would like more intellect to develop, a facet perhaps it is hiding up its sleeve. 992 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

Vinous (95)

The 2020 Richebourg Grand Cru was picked on 23 and 24 August, the first fruit to be picked. Yields are 31.7hL/ha. It has a very perfumed bouquet, with more intensity than the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, but I wonder whether it matches it for complexity? There is a lovely background ember scent with Earl Grey loitering in the wings. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, slightly confit on the entry (more so than the RSV), building towards a very convincing finish that possibly doesn’t fully deliver the precision of the previous vintage. This is forthright, but personally, I would like more intellect to develop, a facet perhaps it is hiding up its sleeve. 992 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.

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+)

($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.

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.

Wine Spectator (99)

A combination of power and finesse, featuring explosive aromas and a complex mélange of flowers, spice, mint, strawberry and wild cherry flavors. Displays a sweetness not evident in the other DRC reds, with a silky texture and amazing harmony, all supported by refined tannins.—Non-blind 2010 DRC tasting (March 2013). Best from 2017 through 2040.

Vinous (97)

Bright, deep red. Reticent, musky nose opens slowly to reveal blackberry, violet, wild herbs and spicy oak; in a rather feminine style and a showstopper. Juicy and penetrating but at the same time silky and sweet, offering an ineffable combination of red and dark berries, spices, flowers and minerals. Conveys an impression of volume and thickness without any obvious weight. Dusty tannins saturate the palate and shimmer on the unflagging finish. The combination of silkiness and vibrancy here is uncanny.

Wine Advocate (99)

Usually, choosing between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti is like choosing between your two favourite children. Not this year. The 2012 Romanée-Conti is one of the most spellbinding that I have tasted since I began 17 years ago. The bouquet is quite astonishing with brilliant delineation and focus, an almost disorientating sense of mineralité that soars from the glass and leaves you speechless. The palate is perfectly proportioned with a sensational line of acidity, brimming over with energy and frisson. This flirts with perfection and you know, one day it might actually achieve it. Just 350 cases produced.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Light to mid garnet. Deeply fruited on the nose, with the promise of both fragrance and superb freshness. A definite herbal/stemmy character on the surface, then along with that an unexpected floral note and a hint of red cherry sweetness. Gloriously fine in texture, layer upon layer of finesse so that it changes back and forth in the glass and builds to complexity and incredible length. As I imagine graphene: immensely fine but with great internal strength.