1991 Romanee St Vivant

The 1991 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru comes across powerful and ripe on the nose, displaying perhaps a little more volatility than I am accustomed to apropos of this hallowed domaine. It seems to be trying too hard to impress when there is no need, and here, I feel that Leroy has the upper hand in terms of complexity and terroir expression. The ripe, sensual palate features a core of pure black fruit; the tannic structure is not quite as fine as I would expect and lacks the panache and sophistication of the 1991 La Tâche. This does offer outstanding length, but not the high level of detail I anticipated. Tasted at the DRC/Leroy comparative dinner in Hong Kong.