2003 Romanee St Vivant

An unmistakable notch up in elegance with elegant and highly complex spicy black fruit aromas that introduce much more refined and sophisticated mouth coating flavors underpinned by serious length and perhaps the best balance of any of these '03s. This isn't nearly as powerful as the Clos de Vougeot but this is a better overall wine that possesses really serious length. In sum, this offers solid if not spectacular quality.

Dark red. Reticent but nuanced nose combines redcurrant, iron, cocoa powder, tobacco, menthol and an exotic whiff of orange peel. Very suave and sweet, with nicely delineated red fruit and mineral flavors. In a distinctly elegant style, finishing with very suave tannins and subtle persistence. Not particularly complex or powerful today, but shows excellent breadth on the back end.