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94 By Robert Parker
86 By Wine Spectator
PRODUCTION: 2,017 cases. A healthy, medium to dark garnet color with considerable rust and brown at the edge is typical of a 26-year old, high class red Burgundy. A pungent, smoked duck, Asian spice, sweet, red and black fruit, caramel-like bouquet explodes from the glass. If there is ever a wine that can be said to reek of terroir, it is this 1969. From one of the more structured vintages in the last 25 years (let's hope the finest 1993s turn out this well), this fully mature, medium to full-bodied La Tache still retains some tannin. It is beautifully sweet, expansive, and rich, with complex aromatics. If the flavors deliver outstanding ripeness and complexity, the tannin in the more rustic finish is obtrusive. I would not push this wine's longevity curve any further given the fact that this example was from a magnum in pristine condition. It is a terrific La Tache that proves that in some instances, great red Burgundy can last for 25+ years.
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.