Close
Search
Filters
Critics scores
94 Robert Parker
Having retasted DRC's 1997 Montrachet in March, 2000, it was apparent that my earlier assessment was both conservative in judgement and anticipated maturity dates. It reveals a straw/goldish color and loads of tropical fruit, mineral, anise, and buttered aromas. This massive, medium-to-full-bodied, and dense wine displays layers of spice, creamy super-ripe pears, creme brulee, and hints of butterscotch in its opulent flavor profile. Velvety-textured and broad, it is forward yet better balanced than originally perceived. Drink it between 2002 and 2012.
Producer
Domaine de la Romanée Conti
Not only the most iconic domaine in Burgundy, but also possibly in France and even in the world. With a monopoly of the two greatest vineyards - Romanée-Conti and La Tâche - and with a generous handful of some others within Vosne-Romanée and beyond, it secured its revered position all while being completely discreet and even modest. It is co-owned by the Villaine and Leroy-Roch families, with Aubert de Villaine guiding the ship since 1974. But it can trace its roots back to the 13th century, when its first vines were planted by the monks of Saint-Vivant. They have been organic since the 1980s and biodynamic since the 1990s. They are also undoubtedly the most famous domaine in the region that uses (and has always used) whole cluster fermentation, an established technique that was eschewed by Henri Jayer, but has inspired many others in recent years. Allen Meadows, arguably the most knowledgeable Burgundy expert and critic in the world, has only given one wine a perfect score - the 1945 Romanée-Conti.