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97 Vinous
Bright, deep red. Reticent, musky nose opens slowly to reveal blackberry, violet, wild herbs and spicy oak; in a rather feminine style and a showstopper. Juicy and penetrating but at the same time silky and sweet, offering an ineffable combination of red and dark berries, spices, flowers and minerals. Conveys an impression of volume and thickness without any obvious weight. Dusty tannins saturate the palate and shimmer on the unflagging finish. The combination of silkiness and vibrancy here is uncanny.
96 Robert Parker
The 2011 Romanee-Conti was picked on 6 September at 26.83hl/ha. As usual, the Romanee-Conti is reticent at first, as if the wine is checking you out before deciding whether you are worthy. It then unfurls to reveal a precise, exquisitely focused bouquet with crushed strawberry, flint and smoke. The palate is devastatingly smooth on the entry. The tannins are lace-like, the acidity perfectly judged and it gently crescendos in the mouth towards a seductive poised finish that lingers incredibly long. This is a master-class in ‘less being more’: a consummate Romanee-Conti for mid- rather than long-term cellaring. 473 cases produced. Drink 2017-2035+ <br/>
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.