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Tasting notes
Romanée-Conti is, as ever, a unique expression of the vineyard. It is both more approachable and more powerful than La Tâche. There is a similar deep colour, but in place of restraint, there are pretty floral notes on the initial attack, followed by a seductive black cherry and mulberry fruit underscored with saline minerality. On the palate, impressive concentration is coupled with a supple, fine-grained texture and enough tannin to age the wine seemingly for several lifetimes. Bertrand de Villaine said the wine can be summed up in three words: 'It's. All. There.'
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Romanee-Conti Grand Cru is dense, ample and also ethereal, as only it can be. Once again, Romanée-Conti elicits thoughts of art forms like cubist paintings or jazz, where themes are implied but never expressly stated. Above all else Romanée-Conti is a Burgundy that engages all the senses. You want answers, but all you get back is more questions. The 2017 is powerful and quite closed initially, yet with some aeration hints of black cherry, lavender and exotic spice start to appear. A closing rush of baritone inflections give it a real sense of gravitas. It's a shame very few people will ever be able to taste it. Harvest took place on the morning of September 8.
The 2017 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on September 8 at 35hl/ha and bottled April 25-26. It has a quintessential Romanee-Conti bouquet of pure, seductive red fruit (morello cherry, cranberry, raspberry), extremely well defined and focused, plus subtle sea spray/seaweed aromas; with continued aeration, I noticed just a faint touch of curry leaf in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and very fine acidity. A discreet crescendo in intensity leads to a harmonious, lightly spiced and slightly more mineral-driven finish than the La Tâche. Yet I cannot help feeling that the La Tâche has a little more complexity than the Romanée-Conti, and perhaps a little more potential. Let's see. 627 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow's annual in-bottle tasting in London.
Wafting from the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, wilted rose petals, blood orange, exotic spices, licorice and coniferous forest floor, the 2017 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru is full-bodied, satiny textured and multidimensional. It's just as powerful as this year's La Tâche but even more elegantly framed by filigree structure, concluding with an intensely sapid and penetratingly fragrant finish. Pristinely balanced, this young Romanée-Conti possesses huge reserves for the long haul despite its deceptively supple youthful appeal, and it will reward extended bottle age.
About the producer
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or simply “DRC” is without doubt the most famous domaine in Burgundy and one of the most famous producers on earth. The Grand Cru vineyard from which it takes its name produces the world’s most expensive wine by a long margin.