2009 Domaine de l'Arlot Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
The 2009 Romanée St. Vivant has no beginning and no end. It just exists in the glass as a monument to the greatness of Burgundy. I could describe the aromas and flavors. There is plenty of dark fruit, mocha and exotic spices, but that would be a total disservice to the wine. The Romanée St. Vivant impresses for its weightless power and massive structure. It is not a seductive, floral Romanée St. Vivant. Readers can find that elsewhere. This is a wine that impresses for its depth, structure and sheer intensity. It is very Richebourg-like in many ways. I loved it.
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Romanee St. Vivant has no beginning and no end. It just exists in the glass as a monument to the greatness of Burgundy. I could describe the aromas and flavors. There is plenty of dark fruit, mocha and exotic spices, but that would be a total disservice to the wine. The Romanee St. Vivant impresses for its weightless power and massive structure. It is not a seductive, floral Romanee St. Vivant. Readers can find that elsewhere. This is a wine that impresses for its depth, structure and sheer intensity. It is very Richebourg-like in many ways. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2044. I was blown away by Domaine de l’Arlot’s 2009s when I tasted them from bottle. Most of the wines came in at the high end or above my projected scores from barrel. I found a purity and frankness in these wines that was compelling. Various American importers, including: A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA; tel. (781) 278-2000; Triage Wines Inc., Seattle, WA; tel. (503) 236-6262; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Ansonia Wines, Washington D.C.; tel. (202) 506-4215; USA Wine Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 941-7133
Good deep red. Reticent, complex nose melds raspberry, coffee, spices and smoky, roasted herbs. Creamy, seamless and vibrant; this really saturates the mouth with dark berry, mocha and soy sauce flavors. Can't match the most classic vintages for sheer verve and thrust but this deep and distinctly powerful RSV nonetheless calls for a decade of aging.
(from a yield of 36 hectoliters per hectare, according to Leriche) Deep red with ruby highlights. Reticent aromas of raspberry, chocolate and nutty oak; not quite the high notes today of the Suchots. Then almost surprisingly bright and highly concentrated on the palate, with terrific palate-staining intensity to the flavors of dark berries and cocoa powder. A rather powerful, youthfully aggressive wine that really stains the palate on the long, ripely tannic finish. This is likely to require extended bottle aging. Leriche believes his 2009s are balanced for long-term aging. "But they're not overly big wines, and they should drink earlier than the 2005s," he added.