2014 Romanee Conti

The 2014 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on 19 September, cropped at 32.6 hectoliters per hectare and bottled on 25 and 26 April 2016. I remember tasting this from barrel, thinking how taciturn it was, before coaxing out those subtle tertiary aromas. Here it remains bashful once more, however, it soon begins to open and deliver the ethereal, mineral-infused red fruit. It is almost conservative compared to the more multi-faceted 2014 La Tâche. This is precise and detailed, not inclined to deliver aromatic "thrills" at such an early juncture. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, perfectly judged acidity, perhaps fuller in the mouth than the 2013 Romanée-Conti, with volume and grip towards the finish. Paradoxically, it is also a discrete wine, quite linear and maybe without the sustained persistence that elevates the La Tâche. You could sum up this Romanée-Conti in three words: precision, precision, precision. A total of 657 cases were produced, which is much above the average of 450, but do not expect the normal economic rules of supply and demand to apply.

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.