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.

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.

Wine Advocate (96)

This is the second time that I have tasted the 2010 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru from bottle from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and it was a wine that prompted a table of mature Pinot aficionadoes to remark upon the joys of infanticide. This is just a fantastic wine from the domaine. The nose is heavenly with its exquisite delineation, the fruit maybe a touch darker and earthier than a couple of years ago -- yet still with subtle woodland/sous-bois aromas and a hint of morels. The palate is wonderfully defined, so fresh and precise with filigree tannin. Yet there is great backbone to this wine, a framework that imparts a sense of symmetry that is totally disarming. Of course, readers should afford this magnificent wine a decade in the cellar...unless by complete accident a corkscrew falls into the cork and twists around until the cork pops out. Then you will have to drink it.

Wine Advocate (96)

This is the second time that I have tasted the 2010 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru from bottle from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and it was a wine that prompted a table of mature Pinot aficionadoes to remark upon the joys of infanticide. This is just a fantastic wine from the domaine. The nose is heavenly with its exquisite delineation, the fruit maybe a touch darker and earthier than a couple of years ago -- yet still with subtle woodland/sous-bois aromas and a hint of morels. The palate is wonderfully defined, so fresh and precise with filigree tannin. Yet there is great backbone to this wine, a framework that imparts a sense of symmetry that is totally disarming. Of course, readers should afford this magnificent wine a decade in the cellar...unless by complete accident a corkscrew falls into the cork and twists around until the cork pops out. Then you will have to drink it.

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.

Vinous (97)

(just under 13% alcohol, without chaptalization): Good bright, full red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, spices, flowers and white pepper. Wonderfully sappy and fine-grained, with outstanding inner-mouth mineral-driven perfume to the taut flavors of pungent red berries, flowers and spices. Most impressive today on the inexorably building finish, which features very suave tannins and great energy and lift. Built for a very long life in bottle and yet this great La Tache already reveals considerable charm.

Vinous (97)

(just under 13% alcohol, without chaptalization): Good bright, full red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, spices, flowers and white pepper. Wonderfully sappy and fine-grained, with outstanding inner-mouth mineral-driven perfume to the taut flavors of pungent red berries, flowers and spices. Most impressive today on the inexorably building finish, which features very suave tannins and great energy and lift. Built for a very long life in bottle and yet this great La Tache already reveals considerable charm.

Vinous (97)

(just under 13% alcohol, without chaptalization): Good bright, full red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, spices, flowers and white pepper. Wonderfully sappy and fine-grained, with outstanding inner-mouth mineral-driven perfume to the taut flavors of pungent red berries, flowers and spices. Most impressive today on the inexorably building finish, which features very suave tannins and great energy and lift. Built for a very long life in bottle and yet this great La Tache already reveals considerable charm.

Vinous (99)

I can’t think of a better or more appropriate wine to bring the evening to a close than the 2010 Montrachet, a vintage that marries power and elegance like few before it. Dense and powerful in the glass, with tremendous textural richness, the 2010 shows remarkable transparency, with layers of citrus peel, crushed rock, slate, mint and dried flowers that build into the huge, explosive finish. Simply put, the 2010 is stratospheric. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York.

Vinous (99)

I can’t think of a better or more appropriate wine to bring the evening to a close than the 2010 Montrachet, a vintage that marries power and elegance like few before it. Dense and powerful in the glass, with tremendous textural richness, the 2010 shows remarkable transparency, with layers of citrus peel, crushed rock, slate, mint and dried flowers that build into the huge, explosive finish. Simply put, the 2010 is stratospheric. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

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 (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 (95-97)

The 2010 Romanée St. Vivant is dazzling. An exotic mosaic of sweet spices, red berries, dried flowers and mint bursts onto the palate in this viscerally thrilling, captivating Romanée St. Vivant. The 2010 is notable for so many attributes, but one that stands out is the sheer beauty and texture of the breathtaking finish.