2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru

Adam Brett-Smith of Corney & Barrow wrote about his experience of tasting this in Vosne, ‘ “ To be swallowed” is the tradition of the Domaine when tasting Romanée-Conti, after you have shuffled the other Grands Crus into some sort of comparative order and prepared yourself for this, the most subjective, mythical, adjectively elusive of all wines. Unlike last year when, for reasons of Covid restrictions we tasted here, at 1 Thomas More Street, we heard faintly once again, the 12-noon tolling of the Angelus bell in the church at Vosne-Romanée above the near-silent cellar room at the Domaine.’ A little more restrained on the nose than the Tâche. Intense nose that has hints of blackcurrant! More majestic than La Tâche. Not as approachable but certainly at least as magnificent – even more so. And then on the palate there is such integrity! Such concentration of pure Pinot grown with care. Great life. If I try to contrast this with Leroy wines (for obvious reasons), the DRC style is definitely more restrained, more obviously dry, but just as persistent. A monument. (JR)

The 2019 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on 17 of September at 22.5hL/ha. I left my glass for five minutes before the first sip since it does not like to give everything away at first pouring. Firstly, it is a little deeper in colour than other recent vintages. Waiting for the wine to open pays dividends, revealing exquisitely-defined brambly red fruit, incense and red roses. There is a very slight gamey element, not strong, but just lingers off-stage. The palate is medium-bodied with lace-like tannins that frame the otherworldly, pure, red fruit. It is perfectly balanced and bewitchingly pure, a crescendo of flavour that this year, at least at this early juncture, put the La Tâche in its place. So elegant on the finish and remarkably persistent, this is just perfection in a glass. 409 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.