2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
The 2004 Montrachet is a wine of pure and total precision. Bright floral notes add striking perfume to a Montrachet that dazzles with crystalline purity, silkiness and a gorgeous sense of transparency. The purity of the flavors is striking, but even more than that, the 2004 offers unreal beauty and finesse, along with the balance to drink well for many years to come. Tasted at the Los Angeles DRC Montrachet vertical.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2004 Montrachet Grand Cru is a vintage that I had not tasted previously. It is a burnished straw colour with a silvery sheen. It has a fascinating bouquet, very well defined with scents of vanilla pod, albumen, white flowers/buttercup and pine needles. The palate is clean and fresh with a fine bead of acidity, very mineral-driven and spicier than the 1993 Montrachet tasted alongside. It finishes with a hint of nutmeg. It is fully mature and will not improve further, but longevity aside, this is a superb Montrachet in context of the vintage. 3,640 bottles produced. Tasted at the Romanée-Conti dinner at the Connaught Hotel.
Double magnum number 00005. Our host had bought this extraordinary large format of this classic straight from the domaine expressly for this event, on condition that it was definitely served at the event and the empty bottle and cork returned to Vosne, such is the new, strict regime at Dom de la Romanée-Conti in their efforts to minimise the risk of counterfeit bottles. Of course it was an amazing treat to be able to even sip this wine but I was quite surprised by how drinkable it was already. Bright greenish gold with enormous weight (though slightly more slimline than the white Hermitage served with it). A lightly vegetal note and I found that this stunning classic didn't hold up in the glass quite as well as the Chapoutier, Cuvée de l'Orée 2006. (JR)
Extremely rich and honeyed on the nose but with a hint of green vegetation too. High toned and on the palate not at this stage especially weighty. Very savoury tense and dry yet with a heavy charge of acidity. Long fan of flavour on the finish. This is not a blockbuster DRC Montrachet and was bottled in November 2005. I would keep this really quite a while in the unlikely event that I would ever manage to get my hands on a bottle. And if you see an oligarch pulling a cork before 2015, kindly tell him off. (JR)
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.