Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Overview
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is the most celebrated wine estate in Burgundy and arguably the world, based in Vosne-Romanée. Co-directed by Bertrand de Villaine and Perrine Fenal (who succeeded Aubert de Villaine), the domaine holds monopole ownership of Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, along with major holdings in Richebourg, Romanée-St-Vivant, Grands Echézeaux, Echézeaux, Corton, and (since 2009) Montrachet. The wines are defined by extraordinary complexity, transparency, and aging potential; they are the benchmark for Burgundy excellence.
Appellations
- Vosne-Romanée (Romanée-Conti monopole, La Tâche monopole, Richebourg, Romanée-St-Vivant, Grands Echézeaux, Echézeaux)
- Corton (grand cru, from Clos du Roi, Bressandes, Renardes)
- Vosne-Romanée “Cuvée Duvault-Blochet” (1er, from young vines and second pickings)
Key Wines
- Romanée-Conti — monopole of 1.81 ha; the world’s most expensive wine
- La Tâche — monopole of 6.06 ha; often the most powerful wine in the range
- Richebourg — from 3.51 ha
- Romanée-St-Vivant — from 5.29 ha
- Grands Echézeaux — from 3.53 ha
- Echézeaux — from 4.67 ha of 50+ year old vines (90% Les Poulaillères)
Style Notes
The DRC style is defined by 95% whole-cluster fermentation, restrained new oak, and painstaking vineyard work. The wines are among the most transparent expressions of their respective terroirs. In 2024 the domaine reduced new wood further, using more one-year-old barrels and some stainless, plus 350- and 600-liter barrels for Romanée-Conti. The wines consistently show exceptional longevity, with top vintages drinking well for 50+ years.
2024 and 2022 Vintage Notes (Burghound #101)
Bertrand de Villaine described 2024: “a tough, tough battle.” Worst problem was incessant rain washing away treatments. Vineyard manager Sylvain Pellegrinelli showed “incredible diligence.” Finding right harvest timing was “un vrai casse-tête” (a true conundrum) — within the same bunch: mature berries, mildew-damaged berries, partially formed berries, and huge unripe rain-swollen berries. Picked September 18-25. Yields from 4 hl/ha (Corton) to ~25 hl/ha (Romanée-Conti). No Corton in 2024; probably no Cuvée Duvault-Blochet. Used ~95% whole clusters. Changed élevage: less new wood, more one-year-old oak, some stainless, 350- and 600-liter barrels for RC. De Villaine: “the wines are classically Burgundian in every sense…wonderfully fresh, bright and elegant.”
The 2022s are “unequivocally brilliant, indeed some of the best that I have ever seen at this very early stage.” Meadows: “great from top to bottom.”
2024 Scores (barrel):
- Romanée-Conti: (95-98) — “If you looked up the word ‘classy’ in an illustrated dictionary, you might well see a picture of this exceptionally stylish wine”; finish “comes in waves”
- La Tâche: (95-97) — “so compact that it’s revealing very little today but enough to sense the huge development potential”; “more than simply respectable”
- Richebourg: (94-96) — “almost painfully intense”; “not a big wine by its usual standards but I very much like the balance”
- Grands Echézeaux: (92-95) — not particularly imposing “but it has everything it needs”
- Romanée-St-Vivant: (92-95) — “intoxicating inner mouth perfume”
- Echézeaux: (91-94) — “Lovely and harmonious”; could be approached after 7-8 years
2022 Scores (bottle):
- Romanée-Conti: 99+ — “Zen-like in its sense of presence and young wine just doesn’t get any better in my experience”; “an excellent chance to eventually find its place among the all-time greats”
- La Tâche: 99 — “quite simply brilliant”; “fireworks in a glass”
- Richebourg: 97 — “Terrific”; “very much constructed for the long haul”; full maturity ~20 years
- Grands Echézeaux: 96 — “could arguably rival some of the all-time greats”
- Romanée-St-Vivant: 96 — “exceptionally classy”; “hauntingly perfumed”
- Echézeaux: 95 — “stunningly good effort”
- La Romanée (Comte Liger-Belair): 96 — (tasted in same context)
- Corton: 94 — “could be the best vintage for the Corton since it was first produced in 2009”
- Vosne-Romanée “Cuvée Duvault-Blochet”: 93
- Vosne-Romanée “Les Petits Monts”: 94
My Tastings
(none yet)
Sources
sources/articles/Burghound/Burghound Issue 101 - 2024 and 2023 Cote de Nuits Reds.txt