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Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

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Domaine de la Romanee-Conti - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.49 mi) Le Richebourg
• (3.62 mi) Domaine de Pellerey
• (1.05 mi) Hotel de Vougeot
• (1.55 mi) Les Plumes
• (4.50 mi) Les Deux Chèvres
• (0.24 mi) Le N49
• (0.53 mi) La Toute Petite Auberge
• (0.48 mi) Restaurant Le Richebourg
• (1.71 mi) Le Chambolle
• (1.63 mi) Le Relais Du Grepissot

• Des Familles
• 9 Grands Crus
• Notes de dégustation
• 1500 d'Histoire
• La philosophie du Domaine
• Un Prince de Sang
• Mentions légales

"Vin de Prince, elle est velours, séduction et mystère. C'est le plus proustien des grands vins : sous le parfum secret de pétale de rose à peine fanée d'une Romanée-Conti 1956, n'est-ce pas l'intense et pure sensation du Temps retrouvé qui nous envahit ? Les dieux nous auraient-ils laissé en souvenir dans ce carré de terre, la trace fascinante d'une perfection intemporelle ?"

(Richard Olney dans "Romanée-Conti" - éditions Flammarion - 1991)

Need To Know

10 Things You Should Know About Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

words: Tim McKirdy

Arguably the world’s most important wine producer, in one of the most prestigious wine regions on the planet, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s bottles fetch unfathomable sums at auction.

The Burgundy producer (commonly referred to as simply “DRC”) is also among the world’s least accessible wineries. While all enthusiasts know of its fabled wines, very few will ever set eyes on a bottle, let alone taste one.

DRC produces between 6,000 and 8,000 cases annually. A search on wine tracking website Wine-Searcher.com shows the average price of “entry-level” Corton Grand Cru to be $1,878, while the legendary Romaneé-Conti Grand Cru averages $20,187 a bottle.

Of course, it’s not all quality fruit and investment-worthy bottles. From selfish princes, to multiple criminal plots, here are 10 things you should know about Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

DRC releases eight different wines from eight different vineyards.

Unlike regions such as Bordeaux , Burgundy’s vineyards are commonly owned by multiple producers. In instances where wineries own an entire plot, the vineyards are called “monopoles.”

DRC owns two monopoles, Romanée-Conti and La Tâche. Both are planted entirely with Pinot Noir vines and considered among the best sites in Burgundy. DRC releases individual bottlings from these plots, as well as the six other vineyards it partially owns or leases. These include Richebourg, Romanée-St.-Vivant, Échezeaux, Grands Échezeaux, and Corton. DRC also owns a tiny section of the Montrachet vineyard, from which it releases a white ( Chardonnay ) wine.

All eight of these vineyards are Grand Cru sites, Burgundy’s highest classification.

Romanée-Conti is the jewel in the property’s crown.

As Wine-Searcher’s figures suggest, the Romanée-Conti vineyard is thought to produce DRC’s best wines. The quality of the 4.47-acre plot was identified as far back as the 13th century, when monks of the Saint-Vivant abbey first planted vines here.

The vineyard’s ownership has changed hands multiple times over the years and was first given the name “La Romanée” by the Croonembourg family in the 17th century (no one knows why). In the 18th century, the vineyard passed into the hands of Louis François, the Prince of Conti, who added his title to the second part of its name (his reasoning seems a lot more transparent).

The Prince of Conti didn’t like sharing.

When he bought the prestigious vineyard in 1760, the Prince of Conti took all its wines off the market, hoarding every bottle for his personal consumption. Despite having a reputation for throwing lavish Parisian parties, the prince refused to share the wines from the Romanée-Conti vineyard with even his closest friends.

Like many jewels, Romanée-Conti was once the subject of an elaborate criminal plot.

In January 2010, DRC’s co-director Aubert de Villaine received an envelope containing a worrying ransom message: If he didn’t hand over a million euros (approximately $1.1 million), the sender would poison the vines of DRC’s most prized vineyard. The French authorities eventually caught Jacques Soltys, the small-time criminal behind the plot, in a sting operation.

Imitation isn’t always a form of flattery.

DRC has also been subject to a number of high-profile imitation conspiracies. The case of Rudy Kurniawan is arguably the most notable. The Indonesian fraudster gained the nickname “Dr. Conti” after his love of — and prolific production of — numerous bottles of counterfeit fine wines, including DRC. The tale was documented in the 2016 movie “ Sour Grapes ,” and Kurniawan is currently serving a 10-year sentence in a U.S. prison.

Romanée-Conti may be its most expensive, but it’s not DRC’s most exclusive wine.

That honor goes to its Bâtard-Montrachet whites. The domaine owns a mere 0.42 acre of this vineyard and produces just two barrels from the plot. All of which is consumed exclusively at the domaine.

Speaking of exclusive…

In October 2018, DRC (twice) smashed the world record for the most expensive bottle of wine, after two bottles of 1945 Romanée-Conti sold for $558,000 and $496,000 at a Sotheby’s New York auction. The bottles were two of only 600 produced by the domaine in 1945, a notoriously difficult, but highly celebrated vintage.

Its vineyards lie on a UNESCO world heritage site.

In July 2015, the United Nations’ cultural arm granted “World Heritage” status to the climats (vineyards) of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits regions. It followed a decade of research and lobbying lead by DRC co-director de Villaine.

“What is most important for me is that the people of Burgundy, especially the vignerons, be inspired by the ancient, precious, unique treasure they hold in their hands,” he said .

De Villaine hasn’t always been popular with his neighbors.

In 1976, de Villaine was one of the nine judges in the Judgment of Paris that saw California wines beat their French counterparts in a famous blind tasting. “Back home in Burgundy, I was considered a traitor,” he said in a 2015 interview with The New York Times. “But I was right. In the 1970s, we French thought we reigned supreme over the wine world. But much of our wine had become mediocre. This event gave us the kick in the pants we needed.”

Visiting the winery is, quite literally, a waste of time.

If you’re visiting Burgundy and are thinking of spontaneously dropping in on the property, don’t waste your time. The domaine only welcomes visitors with prior appointments, which it very rarely grants. Without one, you’ll find yourself waiting outside the property, on the ironically named rue du Temps Perdu (Street of Lost Time).

Published: March 22, 2019

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A Tasting at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Inside the Sistine Chapel of Wine

There is no easy way to prepare yourself for a tasting at  Domaine de la Romanée-Conti . From the very beginning, you know it is a big deal to be allowed in. The most hallowed winery on earth creates a wine so prized — so fiercely fought over by collectors and connoisseurs — that it understandably has the aura of a closed society.  They keep a low profile because they have to , would be one way to summarize it.

Secondly, as a taster and critic, you have to battle the domaine’s larger-than-life reputation if you plan to arrive at any original conclusion on their wines. “That is the best wine I have ever had,” a close friend, who was lucky enough to drink a 1985 La Tâche, had told me. “It is proof that God exists.”

And thirdly, a childish sense of fear creeps over you when you read other people’s accounts of the experience. “The patron surveys each sip you take,” recounted Hugh Johnson in his autobiography A Life Uncorked .  “(And prefers you to tip back into the barrel the wine you have not spat or swallowed).”

On the car ride into Vosne-Romanée, there was even debate on whether the popular acronym DRC — used by sommeliers, the wine trade and yes, wine writers like Hugh Johnson — is acceptable.

Apparently, it is not.

On this point, I cannot blame them. Nothing about Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is reductive. The pedigree of its vineyards stretches back 785 years, and it has consistently been regarded as one of the world’s finest wines for well over a century. If it takes practice to say its name without stumbling, then you practice until you can say it right. Reducing it to an acronym shows a willingness to gloss over the details — and you just don’t do that with this wine.

Besides, DRC sounds like a committee meeting you want to skip at the office.

Why All the Fuss

If all of this sounds like I was preparing to meet the Pope, it’s because I kind of was.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti dates from 1869, but the vineyards that it owns outright — the “monopoly” Grand Cru of La Tâche and Romanée-Conti — go much further back. Romanée-Conti was acquired by the Abbey of St-Vivant in 1232, and in 1631, it changed hands again — along with La Tâche — and became owned by the Croonembourg family. Ownership of the vineyards would shift several more times over the next three centuries (including forcible seizure during the French Revolution). But throughout their history, Romanée-Conti and La Tâche have always been prized and as a result, fawned over to a level that is quite possibly unmatched elsewhere in the world.

Since its founding, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has produced the most consistently excellent Pinot Noir in the world. Holdings in the Richebourg, Romanée-St-Vivant, Grands Échezeaux and Échezeaux Grand Cru vineyards have further solidified the domaine’s standing. The 2013 vintage of the winery’s most coveted wine — from the domaine’s namesake vineyard, Romanée-Conti — has an average price in the United States of $13,396. Older vintages sell for even more.

As for the most recent vintage, 2016, prices could sky rocket due to its miniscule supply. The ravages of frost and hail put a gigantic dent in the quantity of grapes from these vineyards, meaning the domaine will have less wine to sell.

And we were about to go into the cellar and taste the 2016s. I was staggered by my good fortune.

A Walk Through Vosne-Romanée

I had been invited to France by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s importer, Wilson Daniels . The trip’s itinerary had us traveling from Cognac to Champagne to Provence, and at the last-second, they managed an appointment at the domaine. Given that I write about wines that can be uncorked with dinner any night of the week, I felt giddy but perplexed: What would my story angle be?

However, as soon as we arrived at the gate of the iconic domaine, it became clear: All I needed to do was soak up the experience, and I would have a story.

It should go without saying that Domaine de la Romanée-Conti does not have a tasting room. Nor do they sell logowear. Again: they keep a low profile because they have to.

Perhaps that is why everything about Domaine de la Romanée-Conti — and the village of Vosne-Romanée for that matter — is understated. It somehow feels right for a winery whose spirit began with Benedictine monks in the 1200s. There is no garish sign pointing the way into the village, and I don’t even recall a placard on the front gate stating the domaine’s name. The barrels of wine are located halfway across town, underneath a building located behind a red gate in what can only be described as “an undisclosed location.” The only sign of life in Vosne-Romanée on that Tuesday afternoon was a construction site.

We soon met Bertrand de Villaine — the nephew of the estate’s co-owner, Aubert de Villaine, and a man whose role is increasing at the domaine. Bertrand was cordial at first, but he was soon telling jokes and putting all of us at ease with his jovial personality. I was relieved. Tasting wine is better when you are relaxed.

Truthfully, the winery looked like any other. While the cellar was immaculately clean and tidy, it still felt historic and atmospheric in its own right. At every eighth barrel, there was a smaller half barrel filled with wood shavings, some of which were stained red. I guess that’s where we spit, I concluded.

But besides these details, there was little visual evidence to suggest this cellar was any different than the hundreds of other cellars across Burgundy.

It wasn’t until Bertrand de Villaine pulled the bung from a barrel of Corton, and withdrew a crimson juice of magnificent aromatic intensity, that my senses — rather than my intellect — knew we were someplace special.

“Imagine We Are In a Nursery…”

“Proof of God” may exist in a bottle from 1985, but drinking an aged wine and an impossibly young wine is a completely different matter. What was living inside the barrels was only a few months old.

“Imagine we are in a nursery,” Bertrand said as he poured the Romanée-St-Vivant. “And each of these is a baby.”

Since the wines were still undergoing malolactic fermentation , they were a work in progress. The malo was most noticeable in the texture: a sprightliness, as if the wines were energetically twitching on the palate. By the time these wines are bottled, the nervous energy will be gone, but the full complexity and character of the wine will require years, if not decades, to emerge.

So what was I assessing then? If I was familiar with older vintages of these wines, I could make conclusions on potential for aging, but even that is an exercise fraught with flaws. So instead, I tried to look for signs of each Grand Cru’s identity in the neonate juice. At most wineries, finding terroir at this stage would be a ridiculously tall order. Incredibly, it was no problem here.

To me, some Grand Cru — such as Grands-Echézeaux and Romanée-St-Vivant — had a distinct black-pepper edge. Richebourg was the most structured: a wine that woke up every nerve ending on my palate. (What I wrote in my notebook: “Pow!”). La Tâche was the prettiest of all, decked head-to-toe in red tea and mint, with an intensity of fruit that was already showing.

If there was a common thread that united every Grand Cru, it was herbs. Each wine had an ethereal note that reminded me of mint, or thyme, or sage, or even lavender. They all had a delicate sweetness and an edge of savory. They were animated and shape-shifting.

At the back of the cellar where it’s coldest, Bertrand finished the tasting with the most prized wine of all — Romanée-Conti. “We call this the Queen’s Wall,” he said. “Because this is where the Queen sits.”

Everyone in my group was showing various signs of giddiness as he poured the wine. “It’s the length of this wine, not the power,” he told us. I inhaled. Cranberries, cherries, mint, thyme, red tea, smoke? By now, my mind was exhausted. Or maybe the wine was just so extraordinary that it was elusive.

So I did what I had to: I gave into the moment and drank.

Any human being — whether they are a super-taster or a newbie — cannot taste individual notes properly when they are overwhelmed, and I was feeling strong emotions by this time. On how I got here, on how much work I had put into Opening a Bottle, and on everything I’d been through in recent years (both terrible and terrific).

The wine was excellent; the moment, an unfathomable honor. I saved a little Romanée-Conti to tip back into the barrel.

Why Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Matters

After saying goodbye to Bertrand, we walked along the stone walls that line Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru, and found our way to the cross that marks the boundary of the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru. A small apple tree bloomed nearby. The sun cut through a thin haze. Things were greening all around us, but the soil’s rich red-brown was the overwhelming color of the scene.

Sometimes, when you travel in Europe, you experience a moment that utterly humbles you. It could be a fresco by Titian, a Gothic bell tower or a silent battlefield. The long arc of history stares you in the face, and you realize how small the present moment is. And there’s a strange solace because of it.

For the first time, I felt humbled by the sight of a vineyard.

You and I will not be pouring Domaine de la Romanée-Conti with dinner tonight. If we’re lucky, we might get a taste at a later date, but it will likely be because someone else was nice enough to share.

I have read that Aubert de Villaine has openly lamented how the domaine’s wines have become the ultimate luxury. (In fact, part of their business plan with the allocation system is to make the wines available to connoisseurs, and not just investors). The supply is very small, and the demand is very high, and thankfully they won’t compromise on quality. It is what it is. Bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti will always fetch high sums.

But I am telling you: this domaine is special, and it deserves the attention it gets. They manage the vineyards mostly how the monks did over 700 years ago: without pesticides and with the advanced technology of a horse and plow. Their understatement — in the vineyard, at the domaine, and even on the label — is emblematic of their philosophy: wines that allow nature to speak in her truest, purest voice.

In terms of wine, I can’t think of anything holier than that.

Editor’s Note: I would like to thank  Wilson Daniels for inviting me on the press trip which made this article possible. Learn more about our editorial policy .

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How to navigate the wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

A guide to the only domaine in Burgundy to produce wine exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards, including the most sought-after examples ever sold. Illustrated with lots offered at Christie’s

• Collecting Guides

Pinot Noir vineyards, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, in the commune of Vosne-Romanée, France. Photo: Agefotostock / Alamy Stock Photo

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti , often abbreviated DRC, is a legendary Burgundy estate known the world over as one of the greatest wine producers on the planet.

A noble history

The domaine is believed to have its origins in the 13th century, when many of the vineyards were owned by a local monastery, the Abbey of Saint Vivant in Vosne. In 1760, the vineyards were the subject of a bidding war between Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and her bitter rival the king’s cousin, Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti. The mistress’s pockets were not as deep as those of the prince, who handed over 8,000 livres for the estate, appending his title to the best vineyard.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti cellars. Photo: James Andanson / Sygma via Getty Images

Unfortunately for the prince, his reign at the domaine was short-lived, as his lands were seized and auctioned off during the French Revolution. Nonetheless, this regal pedigree is felt, even today, in the sumptuous and evolved nature of the wines.

Elite vineyards with limited supply

DRC is relatively small. It produces just 6,000-8,000 cases per year and is the only domaine in Burgundy to produce wine exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. Also incredibly rare, two of their Grands Crus are ‘monopoles’ — vineyards controlled entirely by a single estate: Romanée-Conti and La Tâche .

DRC additionally produces wines from Richebourg , Romanée-Saint-Vivant , Grands-Echézeaux , Echézeaux  and Corton . Historically, Montrachet has been the only white wine produced, but in 2018 the domaine began farming a 2.9-hectare parcel of Corton-Charlemagne , leased from Domaine Bonneau du Martray .

The Romanée-Conti vineyard in Burgundy. Photo: Getty Images

Given the wines’ quality, status, and scarcity, demand far outweighs supply, which has sent prices soaring. The domaine currently tops the list of most expensive wines ever. In 2016, Christie’s in New York sold five magnums of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1990 for $269,500 against a high estimate of $200,000.

And while that may seem stratospheric, prices continue to rise. DRC remains one of the most sought-after wines in the auction market, and for those lucky enough to try a bottle, it’s easy to understand why. Any wine collector should be well versed in the wines of DRC. Below is an overview of its vineyards and the wines they produce.

Romanée-Conti

Romanée-Conti is one of the most renowned vineyards in the world. Located in the commune of Vosne-Romanée, the 1.8-hectare vineyard is perfectly positioned mid-slope, with excellent sun exposure and drainage. The wines are lauded for their subtle and mysterious nature. Layers of complexity continuously unfold, revealing a profound wine with a perfectly velvety texture and intense perfume.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti, 1991 . 2 bottles per lot. Estimate: $24,000-36,000. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

La Tâche

Just to the south of Romanée-Conti lies La Tâche, the largest of DRC’s vineyards at 6.06 hectares. Its distinct soil structure and slightly higher elevation result in a wine that is more robust but often equal to Romanée-Conti in terms of depth and complexity. There is an enticing tension between rigour and elegance, with firm, structured tannins juxtaposing an ephemeral range of aromas.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, 2010 . 1 bottle per lot. Estimate: $4,500-7,000. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

To the north of Romanée-Conti is Richebourg. Of DRC’s non-monopoles, Richebourg is widely considered the greatest. DRC controls 3.5 hectares of the eight-hectare vineyard. It is similar to Romanée-Conti in terms of elevation and soil structure, but the wines are decidedly more robust — they are often described as rich, voluptuous and intense.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, 2005 . 1 bottle per lot. Estimate: $3,000-4,500. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

Romanée-Saint-Vivant

Romanée-Saint-Vivant lies nearest to the village of Vosne-Romanée. DRC owns 5.3 of this non-monopole’s 9.44 hectares. It sits on a gentle slope facing east. Unlike Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant is defined by its light and delicate nature, airy perfume and silky texture.

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanee-Saint-Vivant, 1991 . 2 bottles per lot. Estimate: $5,000-7,000. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

Echézeaux

With a total of 37.69 hectares, Echézeaux is one of Burgundy’s largest Grand Crus. DRC’s holdings are just 4.67 hectares, located on the slope above Grands-Echézeaux. While still a Grand Cru, the wines are generally not considered to be in the same echelon as the others. They are slightly less complex and more rustic, but nevertheless exquisite examples of top-tier Burgundy.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Echézeaux, 2009 . 1 bottle per lot. Estimate: $2,000-3,000. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

Grands-Echézeaux

Bordering Echézeaux, the superior Grands-Echézeaux covers and area of 9.14 hectares, 3.53 of which are owned by DRC. The vineyard is relatively flat and produces wines that, compared to Echézeaux, are more richly textured, structured and intense. They still possess a rustic quality, with notes of game and bramble fruit; but with bottle age, that is decidedly a good thing.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Grands-Echézeaux, 2010 . 1 bottle per lot. Estimate: $2,400-3,500. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

DRC’s holding in Corton is 2.28 hectares. The vines were leased in 2008 and first harvested in 2009. The holdings come from three different lieux-dits (distinct parts of the vineyard with their own characteristics): Clos du Roi, Bressandes and Renardes. The wines are deep and bold, with firm, structured tannins. They can be unapproachable in youth, but with time they offer generous rewards.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Corton, 2014 . 1 bottle per lot. Estimate: $1,600-2,400. Offered in Fine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring Two Superlative Collections on 20-31 October at Christie’s Online

Corton-Charlemagne

The domaine’s newest holding is a 2.9-hectare parcel of Corton-Charlemagne, which produces one of only two white wines in DRC’s line-up. The vines were leased in 2018 from the famed Domaine Bonneau du Martray, and the first harvest took place in 2019. The holdings come from two lieux-dits : Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton) and En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses). DRC’s first vintage of Corton-Charlemagne was released in February 2022 and warmly received by critics.

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For many, Montrachet represents the pinnacle of Chardonnay. DRC’s bottling, which comes from just 0.68 hectares, certainly lives up to that description. The wines are defined by intensity, power and incredible concentration. While it needs time to develop in bottle, it has the potential to be one of longest-lived white wines on Earth.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet 2014. 1 bottle per lot. Sold for £6,875 on 7 June 2023 at Christie’s in London

Vosne-Romanée

In the 1930s, DRC produced a wine from young vines in its vineyards and named it Cuvée Duvault-Blochet, after the 19th-century founder of the domaine, Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault-Blochet 1999 . 6 bottles per lot. Sold for £14,375 on 7 June 2023 at Christie’s in London

In 1999, the quality of the harvest was so good that DRC’s then co-director, the legendary winemaker Aubert de Villaine, decided to complete a second picking from all of the estate’s Grand Cru vineyards bar Romanée-Conti itself. For the resulting Vosne-Romanée (which he declassified to Premier Cru, despite the fruit coming from Grand Cru plots), he revived the 1930s name, Cuvée Duvault-Blochet.

Fine de Bourgogne

In special vintages, DRC use the lees (dead yeast) and pomace (solid remains from the pressing) of its Grand Cru wines to make two types of brandy.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Fine de Bourgogne 1979 . 1 bottle per lot. Sold for £1,875 on 7 June 2023 at Christie’s in London

Fine de Bourgogne is distilled from the lees, and Marc de Bourgogne from the pomace. Both are then barrel-aged for many years — the 1970 Fine de Bourgogne, for example, was bottled in 1992.

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Appellation Romanée-Conti

The most expensive wine in the world comes from burgundy.

There’s no shortage of superlatives to describe this jewel of the Côte de Nuits. Expert oenologists and enlightened connoisseurs agree that it is the greatest wine of Burgundy. Its reputation is international and potential buyers are flocking to it, an unstoppable recipe for making it the most expensive wine in the world.

To live happily…

.. let’s live hidden? The Romanée Conti parcel undeniably fits this maxim. As you make your way along the Route des Grands Crus, you have to take the trouble to criss-cross the village of Vosne-Romanée to finally discover this gem of a vineyard, planted entirely with Pinot Noir.

Nails for the Prince

The origins of this vineyard can be traced back to the priory of St Vivant, which owned it in the Middle Ages, when it was known as “Cros des Cloux”.

The parcel took the name “Romanée” around 1651, although we don’t really know why…

Prince Louis-François de Bourbon-Conti bought it in 1760, but it wasn’t until 1794 that the name “Romanée-Conti” appeared.

The prestigious cru is now farmed by Domaine de la Romanée Conti, the lucky sole owner of this “petit-grand cru” covering 1,8140 hectares … Production averages 6,000 bottles a year. These bottles contain a long-ageing wine, to be jealously guarded for twenty to forty years.

The color is a dark ruby, turning to carmine with age. The bouquet initially recalls red and black berries, but also violets, spices and undergrowth as it ages. On the palate, a subtle balance between power and sensuality.

A colossal wine, made from one of the smallest plots in the Burgundy vineyards…

Did you know?

Bottles of Romanée Conti are still sold individually , accompanied by a mix of 12 other grand cru references, among the prestigious appellations of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti : échezeaux, grands échezeaux, romanée-saint-vivant, richebourg and la tâche.

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5 Things to Know About Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Wine

D omaine de la Romanée-Conti – the most hallowed name in Burgundian wine, and quite possibly the entire vinous world; a name that is implicitly regal, indisputably coveted and effortlessly content in its position of unimpeachable noblesse. DRC. Its acronym alone suffices to command the attention of everyone who aspires to enter the realm of wine Valhalla.

One could fill a book with praise to stoke the inferno of DRC’s exaltedness (many actually have), but this would be well-travelled ground. Further, a retelling of DRC wines’s rich heritage and that of its crown jewel, its eponymous vineyard, Romanée-Conti – from original monastic ownership to noble hands of the Bourbon Prince of Conti, through Revolutionary dissolution, the consolidation and expansion by the Duvault-Blochet family and its current company principals, the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families – does not fully tell the story of why it reigns supreme as one of the most expensive wines in France.

We are justifiably thrilled to include in our upcoming 19 November sale Champagne Bollinger, Direct from the Cellars & Finest Wines an impressive and sumptuous array of DRC wine lots. With cherished items like a full 12 bottle assortment from the outstanding year of 1999, numerous full original wooden cases of benchmark vintages, impressive caches of the sought-after Montrachet and Romanée-Conti vineyard and treasures like full cases of the rarely seen 1965 vintage, the sale finds a delightful surfeit of DRC riches. For the seasoned veteran to one looking to begin a collection of this iconic nectar, opportunity abounds! And so, with a domaine that consistently achieves the upper echelon of demand, price and acclaim from the well-versed to the uninitiated, let us remind ourselves of some staggering factors that contribute to the well-deserved mythos that is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wine.

They exclusively use grand cru vineyards

As many know, DRC produces great wines exclusively from grand cru vineyard holdings spread across notable vineyards as Le Montrachet (its only commercially-released white wine, as private bottling of Bâtard-Montrachet is only consumed at the domaine with friends), recently acquired parcels of Corton and the distinctive line-up of Échezeaux, Grands-Échezeaux, Romanée-St.-Vivant, Richebourg and its wholly-owned monopoles, La Tâche wine and Romanée-Conti wine. No other Burgundian domaine can claim to only produce wine from grand cru sites.

They reserve the best land

Aside from the stunning monopoles that are fully owned vineyards, DRC is also the largest landowner in each of the red-wine vineyards from which it produces grand cru Red Burgundy. This typically means that in great, but less-exalted vineyards such as Échezeaux, their prime holdings mean a wine of quality outweighing its neighbours.

They are exceptionally scarce

Burgundy is the land of scarcity – many know that it produces a fraction of the output of other regions in France like Bordeaux. And DRC is no exception, producing an average of 6,000–8,000 cases across all its crus each year. They could certainly produce more given certain holdings, but their philosophy is high-density planting of old-vines, and keeping yields tantalizingly low so as to produce pinot noir and chardonnay fruit with unparalleled concentration.

They cherish tradition and lineage

Tradition and lineage extend to many parts of domaine, including those in charge of the cellar – the current chef de cave , André Noblet, has been with DRC since 1985, taking over from his father Bernard, who spent 45 years in the cellars.

They epitomize the essence of Burgundy

Perhaps most important to their mystique is DRC’s innate ability to represent the notion of what Burgundy fundamentally is – an ethereal sum of many distinct parts plus an indefinable je ne sais quoi that lifts it beyond a mere equation. DRC’s best wines express their site, their pedigree, their nuance and character with such precision and consistency that they are often used as a benchmark example for the concept of terroir.

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22 Jun The visit of a lifetime: in the cellar at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

This story originally appeared in The Napa Valley Register .

There are few great wines in the world that will make people stop in their tracks. These are wines that we read about, talk about with reverence, and occasionally, if we are fortunate, we get to taste them.

One of these, probably the most famous of them all, is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, France.

I had the privilege to taste Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits, France 1996 in a seminar at Pebble Beach Food and Wine a few years ago. It was my first time tasting Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and in all probability, I thought, my last.

These wines are sought after by wine collectors around the world and bottles will range from $2,000 to $20,000, or more. These stratospheric prices, combined with the limited production, make Domaine de la Romanée-Conti a wine for the wealthiest collectors in the world.

Little did I know that I would get to visit Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. On a recent trip to France, I knew that we would be spending one day in Burgundy. We were going to visit two wineries that day and I could not wait. Visiting Burgundy was yet another item being checked off my bucket list. But then whispers started that we would also be visiting Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. [While called DRC by many fans, the winery prefers to be called by its full name.]

We arrived in the small village of Vosne-Romanée and approached a gate. On the wall, next to the gate was the street sign “Rue du Temps Perdu” or the “Street of the lost time.” This was the humble, simple, ego-less entrance to the most revered winery in the world!

I did not know what to expect. I was in awe and was simply honored to just step foot into the offices. Bertrand de Villaine, the nephew of Aubert de Villaine, the domaine’s co-owner, entered the room. He was subdued as he welcomed us, telling us he was happy we could visit but that he only had a little time to spend with us.

He invited us to join him in the cellar. We walked across the village to an unmarked building behind a red gate. There were no signs and nothing to denote where we were. It was not large or fancy or modern. It was a wine cellar like most others in Europe. Until, that is, you look at the barrels and see the names of La Tâche, Corton, Echézeaux, Grand Echézeaux, Romanée St. Vivant, Richebourg and Romanée-Conti branded on them. These are the most famous Burgundy vineyards.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is in the Cote du Nuit in Burgundy. There are five Grand Cru vineyards in the Cote du Nuit that are “monopoles” and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti owns two of them.

While Domaine de la Romanée-Conti dates to 1869, the vineyards of Romanée-Conti and La Tâche go back 785 years. Romanée-Conti belonged to the Benedictine monks at the Abbey of St-Vivant as far back as 1232. Romanée-Conti, as well as La Tâche, were purchased by the Croonembourg family in 1631.

After a few more owners over the centuries, the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families purchased the domaine in 1942. Today, it is run by Aubert de Villaine and his nephew Bertrand de Villaine and for decades they have been producing the sought-after wines.

It is a winery that honors its past and plans for the future. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has been certified biodynamic since 2007, although that has always been a part of their practice. They make their own fertilizer just as their forefathers did. The average vineyard is 45-50 years old.

“What was done back then is what we have today. And what we do today is for others,” Bertrand explained.

It was hard to believe that we were standing in this world-famous cellar. There was no pretense; there was no ego. How could this be the most renowned winery in the world? Bertrand was straightforward when he explained that wine “is about pleasure and enjoyment,” nothing more or less. He then proceeded to invite us to taste barrel samples of the 2016 vintage.

The 2015 vintage had just been bottled. The 2016 grapes had been harvested over a 10-day period beginning on Sept. 22, 2016. Bertrand handed us glasses and grabbed a wine thief and we began to follow him through the cellar. While the wines were just beginning malolactic fermentation, we were able to taste the nuance of each vineyard.

We started with the 2016 Corton. My head was spinning as I put my nose in the glass. Yes, these wines were young and still developing but the aromas of pinot noir were distinct.

We tasted the 2016 Echézeaux and my first reaction was “WOW!” Tart cherry and black pepper jumped out of the glass. It was mouthwatering. Bertrand described the wine perfectly. “It has the politeness to be accessible any time and it is complex without being complicated.” Sadly, 70 percent of the crop of Echézeaux was lost due to rain in 2016.

The 2016 Grand Echezeaux was a grander wine with more structure on the palate. The 2016 Romanée St. Vivant was very aromatic with notes of blueberry and blackberry. The 2016 Richebourg had an elegant nose but it was the biggest wine with aromas of dark fruit, earth and leather and tannins. The 2016 La Tâche, from the largest monopole, was the prettiest wine with aromas of violet and powder.

Last, but not least, was the 2016 Romanée Conti, considered the Queen of the Cellar. The nose was filled with aromas of cranberries, cherries, black tea and mint. On the palate, it was smooth and elegant. Bertrand pointed out that it is not the power of this wine that makes it the Queen but “it is the length of the wine.”

Two and a half hours later, our “short” visit with Bertrand de Villaine at Domaine de la Romanée Conti came to an end. But just after we said our goodbyes, we walked a few feet from the offices to the Romanée Conti vineyard. The sun was beginning to set over the vineyard as I tried to take in what I had just experienced. This was the visit of a lifetime.

Read the story in The Napa Valley Register .

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The New Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Shows Why 2020 Is Burgundy’s Finest Vintage in Years

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Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is farmed using biodynamic principles, which in addition to eschewing chemical preparations in the vineyard also view nature as “an interconnected whole, a totality, an organism endowed with archetypal rhythm,” as stated on the website of Demeter Association, the organization that upholds and certifies biodynamic farming in the United States. This includes the energy within a vineyard. As Aubert de Villaine, former estate co-director and Bertrand’s uncle, so eloquently pointed out in the domain’s vintage report, “While everywhere in the world governments were imposing all sorts of constraints to confront an unprecedented viral attack, nature broke free. Thanks to the lockdown, it seemed to find its real place again.”

In other words, while the rest of us were dealing with the ramifications of Covid-19, including drinking through many of the fantastic wines on our racks, this little corner of Burgundy was blessed with not just serenity but with ideal conditions to produce wines that exhibit incredible elegance, finesse, and restraint. If one believes in the fundamentals of biodynamics, it stands to reason that a year unlike any other would offer an energy and rhythm to the vineyard that would aid in producing wines that are even more exceptional than normal.

DRC is more than just one wine. In addition to its namesake wine from the tiny Romanée-Conti vineyard, the domain produces nine other wines, seven red and two white, from some of the most renowned appellations in Burgundy. We tasted through the reds in an order that was intended to showcase them from most delicate to most concentrated, after which we tasted two whites, including the second release of DRC Corton-Charlemagne. This was not a retrospective tasting intended to show the ageability of the wines, but rather a vintage tasting whose aim was to highlight the consistency and quality of the 2020 vintage. In the spirit of serenity, we tasted in silence with no commentary from the winemaking team, enabling us to draw our own conclusions.

Although the wines will age gracefully when cellared properly, Perrin Fenal hopes that they will be enjoyed while they are still in their youthful prime. She bristles at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti being labeled a luxury brand. To her, the wines are the work of Benedictine monks who planted the vines a millennia ago and defined the terroir of Burgundy. Throughout the subsequent years, those grand crus have endured and thrived, but not for the purpose of becoming status symbols. “We are very happy and grateful that our wines are appreciated and desired by people who take pleasure in opening, tasting, and sharing them,” she says. “We think that is very different from buying them as a commodity, for collecting or speculating purpose. Our wines are not products, but the combination of human dedication and a miracle of nature.” 

We can’t help but agree with Ms. Fernal, and hope that it does not take another global disaster to cause us all to drink and truly appreciate these and all the other wonderful wines in our cellars.

Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, also known as the World Wine Guys, are wine, spirits, food, and travel writers, educators, and hosts. They have been featured guests on the Today Show, The Martha…

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Domaine de la Romanée Conti or DRC is one of the most hallowed names in the world of wine! 

Its history and winemaking practices are nothing short of awe-inspiring. DRC wine labels have captured the hearts of many, including an Archbishop of Paris, who in 1780 described it as “velvet and satin in bottles.”

In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about DRC - its vineyards , the best wines you should buy, their investment potential , and other interesting facts about this exclusive winery.

Further reading

• Explore other enticing Burgundy Wines and more about this coveted wine region.
• Discover why Pinot Noir enchants wine lovers from all around the world.

This Article Contains:

The prestigious domaine de la romanée conti, what does romanée-conti wine taste like, 10 precious wines of domaine de la romanée conti (including taste, prices), why should you invest in domaine de la romanée conti wine.

• The Prestigious Vineyards of DRC

Winemaking at Domaine de la Romanée Conti

Interesting facts about romanée conti.

Domaine de la Romanée Conti produces some of the greatest wine labels in the world. 

Based in the village of Vosne-Romanée in Burgundy, France, the Domaine is now owned by the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families. 

It is managed by Aubert de Villane and Perrine Fenal Leroy. Perrine Fenal stepped up after the death of esteemed co-director Henry Frédéric Roch in 2018. 

Perrine Fenal is the granddaughter of Henri Leroy and the daughter of Domaine Leroy founder Lalou Bize Leroy.

Lalou Bize Leroy was co-director of DRC with Aubert de Villaine until 1992. Domaine Leroy is another Bourgogne icon, with estates in Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey Chambertin.

DRC produces only grand cru wines, though the rare Premier Cru (or 1er cru) DRC Cuvée Duvault Blochet is released in exceptional years (a wine made from younger vines of the grand cru vineyard lands.) 

Let’s explore more about DRC’s revered grand crus.

All Burgundy grand cru DRC wines have a unique terroir expression, lending them unique flavors and characteristics.

Here’s a comparison of 2017 DRC’s grands crus and their tasting notes:

• Corton red is expressive, revealing crisp fruit and magnificent energy. 
• La Tâche has to be aired in the glass and eventually reveals a nose of discreet blue fruit with a complex and exquisitely balanced palate.
• Romanée Conti has a rose petal aroma and pure, vibrant red cherries and cranberry palate.
• Le Montrachet is a full-bodied and textural white wine with green pear, fresh pastry, and clear honey aromas.

Now take a look at some of DRC’s splendid wines that you should consider buying.  

Here are some of the most enchanting wines from Domaine de la Romanée Conti:

1. Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Conti Grand Cru 2015, Côte de Nuits ($35,257)

2. domaine de la romanée conti la tâche grand cru monopole 2015, côte de nuits ($8,628), 3. domaine de la romanée conti richebourg grand cru 2015, côte de nuits ($5,688), 4. domaine de la romanée conti montrachet grand cru 2014, côte de beaune ($12,176), 5. domaine de la romanée conti romanée saint vivant grand cru 2015, côte de nuits ($4,391), 6. domaine de la romanée conti echezeaux grand cru 2015, côte de nuits ($3,940), 7. domaine de la romanée conti grands échezeaux grand cru 2015, côte de nuits ($4,603), 8. domaine de la romanée conti corton grand cru 2016, côte de beaune ($3,117), 9. 2018 domaine de la romanee-conti cuvee duvault blochet ($3,895), 10. 2017 domaine de la romanee-conti montrachet grand cru ($11,459).

The 2015 vintage unfurls beautifully with a complex nose of exotic spice and soft tannin mouthfeel. 

This Burgundy red is a seamless blend of sweet , ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, pepper, tea, and herbs that lead to an intense, long, and fruit-dominated finish.

The La Tâche red wine vintage has a nose of pure black fruit with a hint of blackberry liqueur, complex sous bois, caramel, and subtle limestone minerals. 

Concentrated and balanced, with delicate acidity, it has a long finish that resonates with tea and Vosne spice.

The DRC Richebourg Grand Cru 2015 offers highly intense aromas of sous bois, sweet red fruit, and mineral scents. The palate has a distinctive dark fruit flavor with earth, ash, and toasty notes. Round, silky tannins complement the powerful but harmonious structure.

This Chardonnay fine wine has a wonderful nose with elegant minerality, peach, baking spices, and pineapple. Soft and seductive, this Burgundy white has plenty of citrus, apple, and tropical fruit on the palate. The structure is fine with well-integrated acidity, driving to a fruit-dominated finish.

The 2015 vintage Pinot Noir is deep and concentrated with lovely wild berries, light floral tones, and some leather aromas. It offers delicious red currant fruit and licorice flavors with a long, juicy finish. 

The Echezeaux 2015 is expressive on the nose, displaying ripe, jammy black fruit with a hint of red berry liqueur, black cherry, plum, and crushed rock. It is concentrated and opulent with bright acidity and an intense, fruit-driven finish. 

The 2015 vintage red wine offers a fresh red fruit aroma that becomes candied with more time in the glass. Medium acidity and round but noticeable tannins make up the underlying structure of this wine. 

The 2016 Corton Grand Cru is a splendid bottle of Pinot Noir with lots of fresh herbs around a sweet fruit core dominated by a tasting note of strawberries and sour cherries. It has a beautiful, soft structure with fine tannins and medium acidity.

This elegant Pinot Noir reveals rich red fruit flavor notes accompanied by delightful spice hints and vibrant barrique undertones. The vivid aroma bouquet has light spice, smoke, and cassis aromas.

This coveted Chardonnay wine is rich in minerality with light oaky undertones. The palate has intense citrus and green apple notes with subtle hints of smoke and honey.

Now for the most important question:

You can easily invest in DRC and other prestigious wine labels with the help of Vinovest , which allows you to buy, store, and sell fine wine bottles . You can even get your wine delivered straight to your doorstep no matter your location - whether you’re in Europe, New Zealand, or South America. 

DRC bottles are great collectibles due to their historical links with royalty, scarcity, and age-worthiness.

The winery produces only 450 cases of its flagship wine, Romanée Conti, and only 6,000-8,000 cases a year across its other grands crus.

DRC Romanee Conti has established its position as one of the most expensive wine labels in the world, with a single bottle averaging nearly $26,000. So, it comes as no surprise that this wine is also sold at extremely high prices at auctions. 

For example, at a Christie’s wine auction in London in 2018, a case of DRC Romanee Conti sold for $357,823. 

All these factors continue to drive up its desirability, demand, and prices - evident in its stellar track record at auctions.

The Prestigious Vineyards of DRC 

Domaine de la Romanée Conti holds land parcels in some of the most valuable vineyards in the world. Its most famous land is La Romanée Conti, a tiny vineyard located in Vosne-Romanée, in France’s Burgundy region.

The origins of the Romanée Conti vineyard date back to the 13th century, when it was owned by the Church of Saint Vivant. 

In 1760 it was sold to the Prince de Conti, who named it Romanee Conti. In 1869 the land was bought by Jacques Marie Duvault Blochet (de Villaine’s ancestor.) La Romanée Conti received AOC status in 1936, and today it is a monopole of Domaine de la Romanée Conti.    

At only 1.81 hectares (4.47 acres), La Romanée Conti vineyard cultivates 100% Pinot Noir, vine plants that produce some of the scarcest, most expensive red wines in the world. 

The terroir of Romanée Conti on the midslope of Côte d'Or is well-suited to this finicky grape. Well-drained, pebbly limestone soil and an easterly position with ample sunlight allow the Pinot Noir grape to thrive. 

The vine plantings here are more than 50 years old on average and are extremely low-yielding. 

The Eight Other Grand Cru Vineyards of DRC

Domaine Romanee Conti has plots in eight other grand cru vineyards. 

The Pinot Noir grapes are planted in the following vineyard plots:

• La Tâche (south of La Grande Rue) 
• Romanée-Saint-Vivant (Romanée-St-Vivant)
• Grands Echezeaux

The Chardonnay white wine grape variety is grown in:

• The Le Montrachet vineyard : This is where DRC’s only white wine is made and in very limited quantities. 
• The Corton-Charlemagne grand cru vineyard : In 2018, DRC added this vineyard to extend its foray into white wine production. 2019 is the first vintage. 

Winemaking at DRC follows impeccable standards. Let’s take a look at some of the unique production techniques.

Aubert de Villaine instituted organic farming in 1986, following traditional and natural winemaking practices: 

• Only natural yeasts are used during fermentation. 
• Aging is conducted in 100% new oak, sourced from the Domaine’s private supply in the Troncais forests. 
• The wines are not filtered, and if racking off lees is needed, it’s done by gravity from cask to cask. 
• If fining is required, DRC utilizes fresh eggs. 
• The wines spend 16-20 months in oak before bottling. 

Here are some more interesting facts about the Domaine.

1. The only Burgundy Domaine that produces 100% grand cru wines

DRC is the only Burgundian Domaine that can claim all its wines are from grand cru vineyards.

2. DRC vineyards are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site

In July 2015, Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits climats received the “World Heritage” status from the United Nations. This came after a decade of lobbying and research led by Aubert de Villaine.

3. Traditions and lineage hold strong at DRC

The current Chef de Cave (head winemaker of the Domaine), André Noblet (son of Bernard Noblet), took over from his father in 1985. Bernard Noblet had taken care of the cellar for 45 years before that.

4. “Sharing” was not in Prince de Conti’s vocabulary

Louis François de Bourbon, the Prince de Conti who gave his name to the vineyard, was not a fan of sharing. When he acquired La Romanée in 1760, he took all its wine bottles off the market, keeping them for his personal consumption.

5. DRC wine is a favorite of Asian collectors

Asian collectors love Burgundy wines and are especially interested in DRC labels. That’s because DRC is one of the premier wines of Burgundy. 

In July 2020, a 6-liter Methuselah bottle of DRC Romanée-Conti 1999 led Sotheby’s Hong Kong wine auction with a stunning sale of $272,100. This is double its previous estimated value. 

6. DRC is a favorite target for counterfeiters 

The high-priced grand cru wines are a frequent victim of counterfeits .

One of the most infamous cases involved Rudi Kurniawan , an Indonesian fraudster nicknamed “Dr. Conti” after his prolific production of imitation wines, including DRC.

7. A blackmailer once threatened to poison La Romanée Conti vines  

In January 2010, Aubert de Villaine received a note threatening to poison La Romanée Conti’s vines for the ransom price of a million Euros (US$1.1 million). The French authorities apprehended the blackmailer, and the vines remained safe.

8. DRC’s most expensive wine cost more than a Ferrari 812 GTS  

In October 2018, auctioneer Jamie Ritchie sold two bottles of DRC’s 1945 Romanée Conti for $558,000 and $496,000 at a Sotheby’s New York auction. That costs more than a Ferrari 812 GTS, which commands more than $380,000 today.

Why were those bottles of rare Burgundy so costly? 

Only two bottles of the highly celebrated vintage were produced in 1945! 

9. DRC Bâtard-Montrachet wines cannot be bought

DRC has a tenth cru vineyard whose wines you can never buy! This white wine from the 0.42-acre Bâtard-Montrachet vineyard is consumed exclusively at the Domaine among friends and family. 

10. DRC HQ sits on Rue du Temps Perdu 

It’s not easy to visit DRC to sample their wines, given the number of wine lovers who are politely turned away if they don’t have an appointment. No wonder the street the DRC headquarters are located on Rue du Temps Perdu , which roughly translates to the Street of Lost (or Wasted) Time! 

Domaine de la Romanée Conti: The Queen of Burgundy Wine!

A sip of Romanée Conti wine is a rich sensory experience of Burgundian history and the region’s ancient grapevines. 

The value of a DRC wine lies in its enigma - the scarcity, meticulous winemaking, and its ability to evolve with age - all this, beautifully captured in a single bottle! 

Vinovest can help any wine lover who wants to buy the elusive DRC labels. Sign up today and buy some of the greatest wine labels like DRC, Henry Jayer, and many more!  

Hunter Robillard

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Considered the pinnacle of Burgundy, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti produces some of the world’s most revered wines from its tiny vineyards in Vosne-Romanée. Two of the Domaine’s seven grand cru vineyards — La Romanée-Conti and La Tâche — are monopoles and unarguably the greatest vineyards in Burgundy. Montrachet in Chassagne, Richebourg, Romanée-St.-Vivant, Grands Échézeaux and Echézeaux are also grand cru vineyards, yielding sublime wines that are among the most highly sought after, seductive and rarest in the world.

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10 Things to know about Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, DRC for short, is without doubt one of the most exclusive wine producers in the world. A wine many enthusiasts can only dream of. But what is it that makes this winery so special? Here you will read everything you should know about this legendary winery. Want to find out more about our selection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti ?

1. Why are the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wines some of the most expensive in the world?

It is a combination of three factors: very high quality, reputation and exclusivity, and consequently supply and demand. The domain's flagship is the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru. Its price tag of several tens of thousands of euros per bottle has everything to do with the sublime quality in combination with its cult status. The production consists of only 5,000 bottles per year. It is simply not possible to produce any more while maintaining the high quality, because the vineyard only covers 1.8 hectares. With this limited production, the bottles are already scarce at the vintage release, but if it turns out to be an excellent year, the demand for that specific wine will naturally increase even more. This drives the price up even more.

All wines from DRC are highly sought after. The bottles are often sold in individual boxes of 1 bottle. Apart from the DRC La Romanée-Conti, there is the 'entry-level’ wine Corton, which still costs more than 1,000 euros. Be prepared to pay more than 4,000 euros for the Monopole La Tache. Unfortunately, wine is not always made for drinking. Sometimes, wines are also bought and collected for the investment, often to the dismay of the producers.

2. Which wines belong to the DRC domain?

The domain produces a total of eight different wines, from eight plots. Each plot has grand cru status. The eight grand cru wines of DRC are:

• Romanée-Saint Vivant • Grands Echézeaux • Echézeaux • Le Montrachet • La Tâche • Le Richebourg • La Romanée-Conti • Corton

Because most of the vineyards in Burgundy are scattered, many have multiple owners. Yet, the plots of La Romanée-Conti and La Tâche have only one single owner and you guessed it, that is Domaine Romanée-Conti. A vineyard with just one owner is also called a monopole.

The very first vintage of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was released in the year 1232. At the time, the grapes came from the Le Cloux de Saint-Vivant vineyard, which are now the current La Romanée-Conti and La Romanée-Saint Vivant plots. Since the classification system had not yet been introduced at that time, the vineyards had not yet been given grand cru status. This system was not introduced until several centuries later.

Corton is one of DRC's more recent wines. On November 11, 2008, the lease between Prince Florent de Mérode and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was signed for a period of 30 years. One year later, the first vintage came on the market. Corton is the only red grand cru of the Côte de Beaune, so it is a special addition to their portfolio. Plus, for several years now, the domain has been allowed to work on a Corton-Charlemagne plot of another high-quality winery from the region. The first vintage is expected to come out this year. Want to know which winery this is? Then keep reading!

3. Does Domaine Romanée-Conti only produce red wine?

No. The winery also has some plots in production with Chardonnay. One of these is a small plot of Le Montrachet. This vineyard is even smaller than that of La Romanée-Conti, with about 0.68 hectares. In addition, Romanée-Conti has had a Corton-Charlemagne plot of Bonneau-du-Martray in its portfolio for several years now. This is a collaboration, so the land is not owned by the domain. Romanée-Conti harvested the first crop in 2019 and apparently, we can expect to see the first vintage soon! Lastly, DRC also has a mini plot Bâtard-Montrachet, which only produces two barrels. This wine is kept on the domain and is not for sale. Not bad for a house wine!

4. What is the highest price ever paid for a DRC?

At a 2018 auction at Sotheby's in New York, a record price of $558,000 was paid for a La Romanée-Conti from 1945. In that year, only 600 bottles of this cuvée were produced. The bottle came from a private collection and had been valued at $32,000 before the auction.

5. What are the best vintages of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti?

The winery’s legendary vintages are 1929, 1945, 1959, 1969,1971, 1978, 1985, 1988,1989, 1990, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2019. The other vintages are good or very good. In very bad years, certain plots simply do not produce any wine at all. This happened with the La Romanée-Conti vineyard in the years 1947 to 1951.

6. How long can I store a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti?

If you manage to get hold of a bottle and you actually want to drink it, it is advisable not to open it too young. The wines of DRC are intended to mature, so that complex aromas can develop and the acidity becomes more pleasant. It is recommended to open the wines after at least 15 - 20 years. Some cuvées are still fantastic even after 40 years. Patience is a virtue, as they say...

7. Who runs the winery?

Since 1869, DRC has been owned by only two families. In 1869, Jacques-Marie Duvault, at the age of 79, realized his dream by acquiring Romanée-Conti. After his death, the domain was divided between his two daughters, one of whom handed her share over to her daughter Gabrielle Chambon. She then gave it to her aunt Henriette Dupuis. When she died, it was passed on to her sister and nieces. It was then owned by Jacques Chambon and his sister Marie-Dominique Gaudin de Villaine, née Chambon. To date, the Gaudin de Villaine family owns half of the estate.

In 1942, Jacques Chambon sold his shares to Henri Leroy, who then passed it on to his daughters Pauline Roch and Marcelle (Lalou) Bize-Leroy . From that moment on, the winery was owned by two families. Lalou Bize-Leroy became co-manager together with Aubert de Villaine. After her departure, Charles Roch briefly took over, but sadly he died prematurely. The baton was then passed on to his brother Henry-Frédéric Roch. Today's representatives are Aubert de Villaine and Perrine Fenal, the daughter of Lalou Bize-Leroy. If only just for a while, because in March 2022, De Villaine announced that after almost 60 years, he will be resigning at the end of this year. Back in 1965, when Aubert joined, the winery did not have the status it has today. He has played a major role in the success of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. It’s fair to say he is an icon!

Aubert's cousin, Bertrand de Villaine, will be the brand new manager from next year. It goes to show that it really is a family business and that many family members have governed this beautiful winery over the past 150 years.

8. Could I visit Domaine Romanée-Conti?

A visit to DRC is exclusively reserved for a selected few, such as importers and (wine) journalists. Unfortunately, the winery’s doors are closed for any other visitors. If you are thinking about stopping by the winery, don't waste your time because you won't get in. Ironically, the adjacent street is called Rue de Temps Perdu, the street of lost time...

9. Does the winery use biological and/or biodynamic methods?

It’s all about perfection at Domaine Romanée-Conti. Since 2008, the winery has been cultivating its own vineyards in a biodynamic way. This should result in better balance, more tension and complexity. Before that, the treatment of the vines was already fully biological. The biodynamic approach is based on a theory by Rudolf Steiner. The aim is to achieve a natural balance, for which the position of the sun and the moon play an important role. 

10. What else makes the vineyards of Domaine Romanée-Conti so special?

The vineyards are located on the rolling hills of the Côte d'Or, so they are slightly higher than their immediate surrounding. Due to the higher location, the soil has a different structure; better drainage, less clayey, but with a lot of limestone. The hills also ensure the right exposure to the sun. All in all, the perfect ripening conditions. Moreover, the vineyards are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. After years of lobbying and research by De Villaine, co-director of the winery, the Climats in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits were awarded World Heritage status in July 2015. This makes the vineyards even more unique!

Domaine de la Romanee Conti

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‘nature rules’ for domaine de la romanée-conti 2021.

Words by Laura Richards

Of course, even Burgundy’s most hallowed terroir is not immune to acts of god – and for the makers of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti , the 2021 vintage serves precisely as a reminder of the sheer power of nature. Indeed, 2021’s vintage and its harsh growing conditions seem to have provoked something of an existential crisis for DRC co-director Perrine Fenal: ‘We have to ponder our possibilities and also our limitations, our duties in our lives, knowing and accepting that our place is within nature.’

Fenal delivered this message alongside Bertrand de Villaine, nephew of Aubert de Villaine , at a masterclass held at Corney & Barrow ’s head office in London this February. Before unveiling the wines, the co-directors offered a reminder of the conditions that provoked such a profound reaction. Dogged by spring frost from April 6 to 8, with temperatures reaching as low as -8C in the midst of budbreak, it was the first time in the estate’s history that it utilised candles in the vineyards to protect vines against the chill at such a delicate time in their annual cycle.

It was a decision they seem to have agonised over as an estate practising biodynamic viticulture. As de Villaine puts it: ‘We don’t think we have the right to modify what happens – and whatever we do, in the end nature will always win.’ And what an onslaught Burgundy faced from Mother Nature that year: vineyards later came up against a wet growing season, with resultant disease, including mildew, another miserable factor for the already weakened vines to contend with.

Despite best efforts, yields were at their lowest in 50 years, down by 50% in Vosne and 90% in both Corton and Montrachet. It’s quite the contrast to the abundance just recently celebrated at 2022 en primeur tastings from across Burgundy’s other estates (DRC always releases one year behind the rest of the region). Ultimately, we’re talking about a vintage size that’s been labelled ‘pathetic’ by Corney’s otherwise buoyant managing director Adam Brett-Smith.

Energy and vigour are two of the prevailing qualities of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 vintage

Nevertheless, the domaine benefitted from pleasant harvesting conditions before facing the rigours of what Brett-Smith stylishly describes as ‘ haute couture ’ grape selection in his notes that accompanied the tasting. The berries and stems were ripe enough for DRC to maintain 100% whole-cluster fermentation. Careful handling in the winery under the steer of maitre de chai Alexandre Bernier saw a shorter-than-usual maceration period allowing for gentle extraction, while time in barrel was also reduced in order to give the terroir the best chance of expression in a tough year.

It has resulted in wines that provoke the usual superlatives, but with the added metaphor of a fighter championing against the odds. Indeed, energy and vigour are two of the prevailing qualities of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 vintage. Freshness and elegance are also present across the wines, something that seems to correlate with assertions that the wider Burgundy 2021 vintage harks back to a more classic style; less rich and more approachable than what has been seen in recent ‘solar’ vintages.

In the Vosne-Conti 1er Cru (prices currently unavailable), for example, there’s excellent expression, with the purist red- and black-fruit perfume on the nose. The Romanée-Conti (£12,750 for a case of three, in bond) is energetic yet elegant, a wine that de Villaine describes as ‘racy’ and ‘smooth’, in his view delivering an elegance a step up on the other wines from the 2021 vintage.

Above all, La Tâche (£4,400 for a case of three, in bond) stands out as a wine that could be enjoyed now thanks to its seductive plummy aromas, whose concentration continues long after on the palate. One commentor in the room described the wine as ‘complete and balanced’, and Fenal had to agree. ‘For me, La Tâche stands out a little bit because it gives this sense of serenity and accomplishment through the difficulties,’ she says, suggesting that the struggle of the vintage is more clear in other wines such as the Corton (‘you feel it’s a wine that’s been through things’).

When asked how they think these wines will develop, Fenal drolly quips, ‘there are not a lot of wines to wait for.’ Allocations of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti are famously tight in a typical vintage; the 2021 vintage limited yet still by the circumstances. But there’s a sense that with many of these wines, buyers would be rewarded with their readiness for drinking. ‘They are quite approachable already,’ adds Fenal.

Naturally, Brett-Smith has a poetic way of summing up Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021. ‘What we notice at the domaine again and again is that vintages borne of truly difficult conditions have a beauty in direct proportion to the difficulties associated with them,’ he says.

But it’s Fenal’s phrasing that is perhaps the most poignant in such a turbulent year for the vineyard. ‘For me, the words to sum it up are: “nature rules”.’

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Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021: A vintage against the odds

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) unveiled its stable of 2021 wines in London on 7 February 2024.

Detailed tasting notes and scores will be published on Decanter Premium in March, when Decanter’s Burgundy correspondent Charles Curtis MW attends the domaine’s US tasting. 

Ahead of this, Decanter spoke with DRC’s co-directors Bertrand de Villaine and Perrine Fernal as well as Adam Brett-Smith, managing director of the domaine’s UK agent Corney & Barrow about challenging vintage conditions in 2021 and what that means for collectors of these exclusive wines.

Charles Curtis MW’s in-barrel tasting notes for DRC 2021

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• Tasting Notes

2021 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: Paucity, moderation, beauty

The Domaine's small but perfectly formed latest releases.

By Michael Schuster

Low in production and discreet in proportion, Domaine de la Romanée-Cont i’s latest releases are classic, fine, and very beautiful, says Michael Schuster.

Paucity—of quantity, of course, not of quality. For although this is clearly a lighter vintage , it is, for all its cool restraint and more modest proportions, a lovely one, which will make for especially beautiful mature bottles.

Production figures

As a consequence, above all, of the great overnight frosts of April 6–8, the 2021 vintage had one of the lowest yields of the past 50 years. The global yield, as in 2008, was a half-harvest, with particular extremes in the Côte de Beaune, where the red Corton and white Corton-Charlemagne gave a mere 5hl/ha, Le Montrachet just 7hl/ha. A loss of 80 percent in Corton and 90 percent in Corton-Charlemagne and Le Montrachet. You can see the details, and the context, at the head of each wine note.

The Domaine has comparatively low yields anyway, but like all Burgundy properties, its annual yields have been hugely variable over the past couple of decades, related largely to the weather extremes consequent upon climate change. From 2008 on, generous were 2017, 2014, and 2009; a healthy average were 2020, 2018, 2016 (with the exception of the severely frosted Échézeaux and Grands Échézeaux); variously paltry and meager were 2019, 2015, 2012, 2010; pitiable, in both cases, were 2021 and 2008, each producing a bare half-crop. (I didn’t taste and don’t have the figures for 2013.) At least 2022 and 2023 are looking generous.

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The similarity in overall yield combined with their cooler growing seasons make 2021 and 2008 an instructive comparison in terms of style, quality, and aging prospects. And I happened to share a bottle of 2008 DRC with friends just a week before this Corney & Barrow tasting. It was illuminating, as I recount.

The growing season

The 2020/21 winter was mild, and after a cold February, budbreak began at the end of March, so the vines were exceptionally vulnerable to the severe frosts of April 6, 7, and 8, aggravated by the wetting effect of heavy snow on the 7th. The losses were dramatic and exacerbated subsequently, across the growing season, by disease: mildew, oidium, botrytis. After an overall cool April and May, a short burst of heat in mid-June at least allowed for a rapid, successful flowering. July and the first half of August were both cooler and wetter than usual; only late August and, increasingly, September saw the warmth that allowed the tiny harvest to ripen satisfactorily, its very skimpiness, as in 2008, being an advantage toward complete ripening at the end of this cooler year. Even then, the growing season’s unevenness and incidence of disease called for a severe trie of the harvested fruit—a further reason for its pitiful quantity.

Vintage style and quality

The year’s proportions are moderate, but the fruit was fully ripe—without the richer, super-ripe characteristics of most years since 2015. The wines remind me of the less fulsome vintages of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. The grapes were thin-skinned, with a high proportion of liquid to solids, making for wines that are relatively pale in color. The flavor profile is of ripe red fruit, rather than black; the youthful aromas are “cool” to smell, alongside the herbal characters of 100 percent whole-bunch fermentation, and the wines are toothsomely carried and defined by fresh to lively acidities. What they lack in power and opulence, they make up for with finesse, delicacy, subtlety, and a deliciously lip-smacking vitality and core sweetness. The thin skins and very restrained extraction mean their tannin profile is discreet, superfine, almost imperceptible. But if their proportions are modest, and their relish is that of a quieter delivery, they lack for nothing in intensity of scent-as-savor. And a gorgeous fruit-fragrant persistence in the throat seems to be a feature of the year’s style. Many characteristics also of 2008—classic, fine, very beautiful DRC, that is.

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Drinking dates.

I mentioned last year that Corney & Barrow , the UK’s DRC agents, always recommend earlier drinking dates than I do (based on considerable experience, they are at pains to point out).

And it’s true, the wines are so beautifully made, especially these days, that they will indeed reward an early broaching. But if you can afford to wait those few more years, I would suggest that the rewards will increase exponentially, in terms of bouquet especially—and those when fully developed are so myriad, subtle, and seductive—but also in terms of overall ease and harmony. The 2008 Grands Échézeaux I describe below is a perfect case in point. Absolutely glorious at 16 years old, in a way it would not quite have been at ten or 12. A reminder that one of the defining aspects of fine wine is the ability to age and improve with grace and dividend. Gratification delayed, gratification at least doubled? My “accessible” drinking dates do not mean my ideal ones. If you can afford to wait…

Tasting 2021 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Corney & Barrow, London; February 7, 2024

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet (149 dozen; 13.5% ABV)

A pale-rimmed mid-red. To smell, this is light, faintly peppery, a “cooler” vintage and whole-bunch herbal combination, with a raw red-cherry fruit, a sort of cool richness, but lovely and notably persistent in the glass. Medium-full, fresh to vital in acidity, very light in fine tannin; long, pure, transparent, graceful, a very nice tenacity of flavor in the year’s more delicate, restrained, less absolutely ripe vein, and with a faintly spicy, long, and palate-coating persistence. A cool, reserved, slightly edgy style, but this is very good. Currently, this has a more immediate fruit presence than the Corton. Sadly, there is practically nothing of it. Drinkable early, but no hurry. 2028–38+. | 92

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Corton Grand Cru (5hl/ha [25hl/ha in 2020]; 105 dozen [454 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 413; highest since 2009: 707 in 2009; 13% ABV)

Pale-rimmed mid-red. Light, cool, herbal, and faintly smoky nose, fragrant. Lighter than the Duvault-Blochet; medium-full, gently fleshy, super subtle in tannin, brisk in acidity. A modest but tenacious fruit core, plus a gentle juiciness behind the slight youthful austerity, more crisply defined than the Premier Cru Cuvée, but here, too, a lovely, scented persistence on the finish. Class, finesse, breed, all in a slightly attenuated way. Likely to age with great charm and be accessible really very early—what little there is. 2029–40+. | 93

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Échézeaux (14hl/ha [28hl/ha in 2020]; 636 dozen [1,280 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 1,195; highest since 2009: 1,549 in 2009; 13.5% ABV)

Pale-rimmed mid-red. The same “cool,” red-fruit, herbal character on the nose as on the Premier Cru Cuvée and the Corton, but with a touch more fruit core and density. A moderately rich, medium-full wine, fresh and very finely tannic. As you sense on the nose, there is both more flesh core and more sweetness of fruit on the palate, almost a succulence in this cooler vintage context. Sweetly red-fruit ripe, gently sappy, long, racy, and attention-holding, with a fine length of flavor and finish. A lightweight, beautiful ballerina. This will make a lovely, cooler, classic-year mature bottle. A touch more to this than the Corton. Here, too, accessible soon, but a long-term subtle pleasure as well. 2030–40+. | 93+

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Grands Échézeaux (21.5hl/ha [33.5hl/ha in 2020]; 742 dozen [960 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 991; highest since 2009: 1,290 in 2017; 13.5% ABV)

Pale-rimmed mid-red, with a gentler expression of the cool/peppery/herbal theme, more quiet-voiced. Medium-full, fresh, very fine in tannin; an immediate sweetness to taste here, an unexpected, surprising core fruit, delicate but clear, a sort of gear change in concentration and matter, plus a touch of black-fruit ripeness, too. Long and succulent, not exactly rich but clear-cut and distinctive, a clinging mezzoforte clarity, a gently enveloping character, and the sweet, cool fragrance of the year, with gorgeous, throat-mantling, fruit-fragrant length. A particularly lovely, delicate, discreet Grands Échézeaux. 2031–41+. | 94

…………………………………………………………………………………

I have an interesting and—I like to think—illuminating comparison to make here, courtesy of trombonist (longtime section leader of the London Symphony Orchestra, then the Royal Opera House), composer, and conductor Eric Crees, and as a wonderful coincidence, given the immediately subsequent tasting of the 2021s. Five wine friends got together at the end of January, barely a week before the Corney & Barrow tasting, for lunch at Lorne restaurant in Pimlico, London, each of us bringing a special bottle. Eric’s was the 2008 DRC Grands Échézeaux, initially served blind, but unmistakable from the first whiff. Drinking this 2008 just a few days prior was pure serendipity, and tasting the 2021s at Corney’s made me think immediately of Eric’s bottle and of 2008 in general, in terms of both overall style and, as it happens, miserly yields. The 2008s were, perhaps, a mite sweeter-cored, but the similarity is striking. Here are my initial February 2011 and then my recent January 2024 notes.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2008 Grands Échézeaux Corney & Barrow, London; February 8, 2011

Pale ruby-red. Finely scented, very gently herbal nose, glass-filling and persistent, with a touch of cooler year pepper. Beautifully balanced, supple, filmy middleweight, with an already silky textured tannin; a seductive combination of sweetness and vitality, a long, gentle, graceful, and effortless wine; delicate and understated, and yet with plenty of searching tenacity of flavor and lightly mouth-filling scent. Clear low-yield ripeness and concentration, and fine, sweetly fragrant length. Noticeably tighter than the Echézeaux, so it will need a bit more time. 2020–30+. | 93

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2008 Grands Échézeaux Lornerestaurant, London; January 30, 2024 

Mature ruby. A fully developed bouquet of ripe cherry, leather, undergrowth, a touch of the farmyard, and a gentle herbal character, wonderfully alluring, complex, and persistent. Sweet, fresh, supple-textured, gently juicy, long and fine and fragrant. So good. Vital, racy, hugely persistent, sweet, pure transparent. Quite wonderful at 16 years of age, but no hurry either. 2024–34+. | 94

………………………………………………………………………………..

And I would imagine the 2021 aging trajectory is likely to be similar. The point to make is that a “lighter” style doesn’t have to mean a less moving performance. It is often, qualitatively, a very comparable pleasure, simply at a quieter dynamic—Mozart rather than, say, Schumann; chamber rather than orchestral, touching you just as much but with less force. A caress, not a clinch. And there is nothing mean in my 2021 scores (the ever-hateful duty): They just denote, where they are similar, something different from the figures for, for example, 2020 and 2019. The limitations, the paucity, the inadequacy of numbers…

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru (14.5hl/ha [32hl/ha in 2020]; 755 dozen [1,718 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 1,250; highest since 2009: 1,756 in 2014; 13.5% ABV)

Notably darker in the lineup. Dense but tight, the cool/herbal character to the fore, but very persistent in the glass. To taste, this is rich in the vintage context: fairly concentrated, fresh, finely tannic; a wine in the lineup with more “matter,” more fruit freight. Long, distinctly vital, juicy, subtly ripe black fruit in flavor, already generous, embracing, and friendly, with a distinct succulence and a touch of come-hither warmth in this mainly “cool” character year. Long and fruit-cored across the palate, spicily aromatic to finish. This stands out stylistically, with a noticeable structure and vitality for 2021. Ideally it needs a little longer to yield, to mellow. 2033–43+. | 94

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Richebourg Grand Cru (11.5hl/ha [32hl/ha in 2020]; 355 dozen [992 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 848; highest since 2009: 1,311 in 2009; 13.5% ABV)

Deepish, pale-rimmed mid-red. Quite rich to smell, with a softly herbal impression. Moderately concentrated, a gentle, but noticeable slight extra firmness of structure here, a fresh to vivid acidity and a fine, firm tannin definition. Very nicely constituted, with a lovely fruit core, freshly sweet, almost juicy, its 2021 coolness particularly well cloaked, an impression not so much of size as a gently firm completeness, and with an attention-catching, spicy persistence. A stylish, crisply creased posture, a little stiffly at attention as yet, but at ease, in due course, this will be an exceptional Richebourg, its discreet power and complexity more handsomely presented, more tautly defined than hitherto. For me, a star, at this stage, in the vintage. 2033–45+. | 95

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 La Tâche Grand Cru (8.5hl/ha [30hl/ha in 2020]; 579 dozen [1,237 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 1,386; highest since 2009: 2,082 in 2017; 13.5% ABV)

Deepish pale-rimmed red, with a nose of a different character, richer, denser. Cool, yes, but lingering, glass-filling, fruit-core suggestive. A rich medium-weight, freshly defined, very fine in tannin, with a notable breadth for 2021; cool, elegant, poised, and adding to La Tâche’s great class, a clear, supplemental fruit sweep for the year. Complex, vital, racy; not perhaps the seductively fleshy amplitude and immediacy it often has, but the scope is there: finesse, poise, class, ripe red-fruit vitality, a marked aromatic expanse, and great length. Full of medium- to long-term promise. 2032–45. | 95+

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru (20hl/ha [29hl/ha in 2020]; 403 dozen[500 in 2020]; average 2010–17: 432; highest since 2009: 657 in 2014; 13% ABV)

As so often, the palest wine in the lineup; and as always, glass-fillingly yet wonderfully subtle and delicate to smell, with the year’s cool, herbal complex, and the characteristic abundance in the glass. Fresh, very finely tannic, a beautifully reserved, restrained constitution, all poise and grace and transparency, so fragrant, so long, so delicate, and with, as in the 2008s, a distinct sweetness to the fruit. Enveloping in scent-as-taste, exciting in its quiet raciness, and supremely persistent. An extraordinary combination of extravagance and quietly disposed, serene inner energy—musically, the equivalent of an emphasis on absolute quality of sound as distinct from its volume. The almost weightless, infinite subtlety and sweetness that is the similarly constituted 1980 Romanée-Conti today, at 40 years and more, is testimony to just how seductively this will likely age, too. 2035–60+. | 97

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (5hl/ha [49hl/ha in 2020]; 165 dozen [1,530 in 2020]; 14% ABV)

Pale gold. A refined, notably persistent, peach and tangerine fruit to smell; a seductive nose. This is a moderately concentrated wine for the appellation, fresh and well defined, if without Corton-Charlemagne’s more classic cut, sinew. Rich and gentle, with an easy, equable constitution for the cru—though as you taste, you notice the defining acidity more than on the initial impression. Taut and fine, complex and racy and complete; long across the palate, long and gently resonant to finish. But this 2021 is without the drama and presence, the showstopping grandeur of either of the previous two, initial DRC vintages. A restrained, graceful (not a vocabulary one normally associates with this climat ) Corton-Charlemagne, at a mezzopiano dynamic, in keeping with the reds of the year—but with its grand cru class, length, and completeness all thoroughly intact. A lovely wine. Beautiful, biddable, and gracious rather than grand. As if that matters… 2027–37+. | 94+

Michael Schuster

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Burgundy Insights from the Winehog

Visit Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – tasting of the 2016s from cask

By Steen Öhman January 24, 2018 -

On a rainy and cold day in Burgundy it’s nice to focus on something positive and invigorating … and what could be better that a visit at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti tasting the latest vintage – 2016 in this case.

The tasting this year was conducted by Alexandre Bernier, who also was in charge of the tasting when I first visited Domaine de la Romanée-Conti around five years earlier – back then to taste the 2011s from cask.

Well five years has passed, and while i’m still equally impressed and somewhat lost for words when I enter the cellars of this legendary estate – I must say that the 2016s served on this occasion left me somewhat starstruck as did the 2015s tasted with Bernard Noblet in January 2017.

The 2016s from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – variations of greatness

The 2015 were truly great from cask last year, and perhaps also more predictable than the 2016s tasted this time. The 2016 vintage show quite some variation in both style and quality – hence also at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – although this perhaps is more related to the style of the individual cuvées than to quality.

The 2016s are cooler and more classic pinots than the 2015s, although the 2015s also are truly magnificent with a few of the wines rather close to my definition of perfection – can the 2016s match them?

While the 2015s might be bigger and even better in a sense – the 2016 lineup do perhaps win the battle for passion and sympathy, as lovers of classic refined Burgundies sometimes would trade in some of the warm generosity of the 2015s for the transparency and elegance of the 2016s.

In 2016 I see the precise Corton, the intense Grands Echezeaux and the effortless Richebourg as the favourites together with at otherworldly Romanée-Conti.

On the day I had the feeling that the Grands Echezeaux could match the 2015, as it’s low yield intensity seems to elevate it to another level – without compromising the refinement and expression of terroir.

The Richebourg could perhaps come close to the 2015 – and the Romanée-Conti 2016 is also truly magnificent – perhaps not quite matching the 2015? … but will most likely be preferred by quite many due to it’s spectacular cooler refinement – the cool and delicate beauty of Catherine Deneuve in Belle de jour springs to mind.

I could say the same about the Corton … a very elegant Corton in the making – without having any of the slightly austere power found in some 2015 Cortons – the tannins are sometimes a factor in the 2015s – good or bad.

The effect of the frost

The frost have had a big impact on many wines in 2016 – so also the case at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The frost struck very hard on the DRC plots in Ecehzeaux and Grands Echezeaux and even harder in Batard-Montrachet and Montrachet.

No whites made in the 2016 vintage (The DRC Montrachet is included in the joint Montrachet made by six producers in the southern end of the Montrachet vineyard read the full story here ).

Only around 10% to 15% of the normal yield from the Flagey-Echezeaux vineyards – hence very intense and concentrated wines from Echezeaux and Grands Echezeaux – and very limited quantities.

Very interestingly the Echezeaux really shows this density, whereas the Grands Echezeaux do so with considerable more feminine refinement than the Echezeaux. It’s nothing short of a miracle how all that intensity has been packed into the refined and delicate framework of the truly excellent Grands Echezeaux 2016.

The Echezeaux is indeed very fine – but one feel more of the dense and concentrated side – than found in the airy and effortlessly elegant Grands Echezeaux. Lets see how the Echezeaux will shape and show after the final racking and elevage.

Tasting of the 2016s from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

The wines were tasted Thursday November 9th – on a cold leaf day (just changing from flower) – so perhaps not under the most ideal circumstances, as the low temperatures in the cellar and presumably also the moon can bring the tannins a bit forward in the wines. The wines were nevertheless mostly very accessible .. expressing a lot of refinement and energy.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Corton 2016

The Corton is very elegant and refined – like other top Cortons tasted in this vintage. It comes from a blend of Corton Clos du Roy, Les Bressandes and Les Renardes. The intense and energetic fruit from the 2016 vintage does add some refinement to the Corton – plenty of juicy fruit – without the slight austere power that often appear in wines from this appellation. The 2015 was about pure and vibrant power – the 2016 is offering lighter and more feminine fruit – more red notes and plenty of freshness from the acidic driven backbone of the vintage. It has a light-footed side – it’s airy and effortless – with a considerable elegance and finesse. A very elegant Corton in the making

(Drink From 2035) – Outstanding (95 – 96p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Echezeaux 2016

The Echezeaux was very badly hit by the frost – and the yields are therefore minuscule. With the rather deep soil of the DRC plots this constitutes a rather robust and slightly dense wine – at least at this stage. The fruit is quite a lot darker and more weighty than the Grands Echezeaux – interesting considering that the Grands Echezeaux also suffered really bad from the April frost – hence also made from grapes harvested with a very low yield. The Grands Echezeaux is almost a miracle in the 2016 vintage – the Echezeaux does not quite match this regarding refinement and energy. A very substantial Echezeaux in the making, will be interesting but difficult to follow.

(Drink From 2035) – Outstanding (94 – 96p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Grands-Echezeaux 2016

The Grands Echezeaux is truly outstanding – low yield refinement at it’s very best. While the yields were extremely low – the wine is very effortless, refined airy and delicate – covering your palate with the finest and most energetic pinot flavours. It’s elegantly generous – dancing over the palate with it’s vibrant and energetic fruit. So much intensity yet still quite classic offering all the virtues one could want in a red Burgundy. A truly outstanding or even extraordinary Grands Echezeaux in the making.

(Drink From 2035) – Outstanding+++ (96 – 97p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée Saint-Vivant 2016

The Romanée Saint-Vivant seem to be on equal terms with the very intense Grands Echezeaux – and while it’s truly outstanding, its definitely in fierce company in the 2016 vintage, as the Richebourgs seem to shine even more – with more mid-palate energy than the RSV’s. It’s not a big difference – but tasted at this stage, I would give my nod to the Richebourg. That being said the 2016 Romanée Saint-Vivant offer outstanding intensity, gorgeous balance and length – with a lovely display of detailed fruit and Vosne spices. It’s very balanced and offer all the refinement one would expect from this terroir.

(Drink From 2037) – Outstanding+ (96 – 97p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg 2016

The Richebourg 2016 is showing gorgeously – so vibrant, pure and energetic – with a sensual touch rarely seen from a Richebourg. The bouquet is offering layers of cool energetic fruit – an explosion of detailed forest berries, Vosne spices – effortless, detailed and delicate. On the palate very fine intensity without feeling powerful or dense – it’s just caressing you palate with multiple layers of cool and juicy fruit – infused with a detailed minerality and spiciness. At the moment hard to surpass even for the mighty La Tâche.

(Drink From 2039) – Extraordinary (97 – 98p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche 2016

As with the Romanée Saint-Vivant – the mighty La Tâche is not unfolding fully currently. The upper core part of Vosne-Romanée is really showing well at this stage – with La Romanée, Romanée-Conti and the core of Richebourg seems to have a higher level of energy and effortless delicacy! That being said La Tâche is an truly extraordinary wine – that can match almost all wines made in Vosne-Romanée in 2016 – it’s focused, intense – offering layers of cool and vibrant fruit – well structured in it’s large mineral framework. It does however in my view come short of the magnificent 2015 – and is in a close run with the extremely refined Richebourg in the 2016 vintage. But lets see when the elevage is done – and the wines are bottled.

(Drink From 2040) – Extraordinary (97 – 98p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 2016

The Romanée-Conti is taking depth and refinement to another level – combining the effortlessness of the Richebourg and the intensity of Grands Echezeaux to another dimension of verve and energy. The mid-palate fruit is almost bursting with energy and detailed delicacy. It’s perhaps not of the magnitude of the 2015, but does have a sensual delicacy matched by few or none of the Burgundies I have tasted over the last 30 years. Points, scores, words and other man made concepts can’t describe the delicate beauty of this wine. Who cares if it’s better or bigger than the 2015 – one can only be so lucky to taste these wines once – I had my treats! A Legendary wine for the few and lucky.

(Drink From 2042) – Legendary (98 – 100p) – tasted on 09/11/2017

Winehog Recommendations

The quality of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti lineup is tremendously high indeed, and all wines are not surprisingly highly recommended in this vintage – the Echezeaux and Grands Echezeaux will be very difficult to find anyhow – due to the low quantities.

I do however have some favourites, as the vintage does seem to favour some terroirs more than others. Firstly I find the Corton very interesting and refined – as this is a gorgeous year on the Corton hill – if not a unique year.

Next up is the Grands Echezeaux, as this is often overshadowed by the Vosne Grand Crus. The exuberant intense low yield fruit seem to go very well with the generous nature of this terroir, as the mid-palate intensity sort of completes the wine and take it to another level – a hedonistic delight – this could well be the greatest Grands Echezeaux I have tasted at least.

The Richebourg stand out currently as the overachiever of the vintage – showing so beautifully at this stage. I must however say that Romanée-Conti takes it to another level … or another world with it’s effortless delicacy and display of detail and refinement.

So are they better than the 2015s? – I really don’t know!. Time will show, and presumably not in my time. I do however have a feeling that the Richebourg and perhaps the monumentally intense Grands Echezeaux could edge ahead of the the 2015s – whereas the rest are trailing the hedonistic 2015s quality wise.

If I wanted to take the puristic stance – I would say that the 2016s are more classic – hence preferring these. I do however admit to my vices – and enjoy the tremendous generosity of the 2015s – gladly and with a big smile.

I still recall the hedonistic 1971 La Tâche tasted two decades ago – and while I don’t compare this to the 2015s – it does or at least did represent a another rather generous vintage – providing such lovely hedonistic pleasures.

We are indeed blessed by great wines …

Lastest Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée Saint-Vivant 2008 June 3, 2023
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 2007 June 3, 2023
• The DRC Richebourg 2010 and a contrasting RSV May 14, 2021
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Saint-Vivant 2009 – 7 years after October 23, 2019
• Hope for an old Romanée-Conti, and a delightful Dujac 1976 September 27, 2019
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2008 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2011 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée-Conti 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée Saint-Vivant 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Grands Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Corton 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 January 1, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Montrachet 2009 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2004 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 February 15, 2016

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