2021 Romanee Conti

Co-director Bertrand de Villaine describes Romanée-Conti as 'always in another universe', especially in more difficult vintages. Vines are around 60 years old, harvested 25 September 2021 with a yield of 20 hl/ha. Total production 403 cases of 12, bottled 11 January 2023. Mid to light ruby and a little more evolved in colour than La Tâche, with a suggestion of brick red at the rim. Smells of tiny, sweet, wild red berries and is seductively floral at the same time, plus just a hint of toasty oak. Lightly stemmy on the nose and more so on the palate, giving a dry yet mouth-watering effect in the mouth. The tannins are delicate, definite, extremely tense as they build in the mouth, high-wire and high energy. Long in its dry, elegant purity.  (JH)

The 2021 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on September 25, and thanks to protective wax candles placed in the vineyard during frost, yields are almost the highest of the Domaine at 20hL/ha, over double that of La Tâche. It was bottled three months earlier than that cuvée on January 11. Ever so slightly lighter in color than La Tâche, it has a transparent, pure and slightly tertiary bouquet that side-by-side, does not quite possess the same complexity. With brambly red fruit, bay leaf and hints of Earl Grey (a common feature amongst the 2021s), it foments a subtle pressed flower element with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins not dissimilar to the La Tâche, maybe a bit more assertive towards the finish, converting that "constrained gravitas" I remarked upon out of barrel. Lovely raciness on the finish, real energy. Yet side-by-side, I aver that the La Tâche has a little more panache this year. 403 cases produced.

The 2021 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on September 23 and 24 at 21.6hL/ha, which is more than the Echézeaux. Initially, nosing the two aforementioned wines, they seem uncharacteristically neck-and-neck and with similar fruit profiles. Then, it opens with aeration, just eases down on the accelerator pedal, red berry fruit deepening and joined by scents of forest floor, hints of morels and Earl Grey. Superb delineation and focus. The palate is certainly much deeper and more harmonious than the Echézeaux, with raspberry, cranberry, white pepper and just a touch of graphite. This has more dimension to it and definitely much more persistence on the finish, even if not the most concentrated Grands Echézeaux. Wonderful, though it deserves longer in bottle. (NM)