2022 DRC Grands Echezeaux

Average vine age 30 years, yield 43 hl/ha. Harvested 2–4 September. Bottled 6 February 2024. Total production 1,566 x 12. Mid cherry red. So different from the Échezeaux; the whole-bunch component is more evident but so is an aroma of tiny, tart wild berries, bringing a vibrancy that is less obvious in the Échezeaux. Smells beautifully wild. Then darker and more savoury on the palate. A little more abrupt on the finish than the other wines though in a global burgundy context it is still persistent. Dense, dry and sober overall – the aroma and the palate less similar than in their other 2022s. (JH)

The 2022 Grands-Échézeaux Grand Cru was picked between 2 and 4 September at 43hl/ha. It ups the ante on the nose when compared directly with the Échézeaux. This has more depth and complexity, and a touch more aromatic lucidity: raspberry and wild strawberry, crushed stone and subtle wilted rose petal scents. There is a touch more ripeness and sensuality in situ as well. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins and a liberal sprinkling of black pepper and sea salt. Boasting gentle grip, the 2022 is quite persistent toward the finish. There are fleeting glimpses of savory elements, dried blood verging on ferrous note, lending another layer of complexity to this wonderful Grands-Échézeaux. Long-term. 1,566 cases produced.

The 2022 Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru was, by a small margin, the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's highest yielding red grand cru, at 43 hectoliters per hectare, a welcome change after tiny crops in recent vintages such as 2021 and 2016. Offering up lifted aromas of ripe red berries, orange zest and spices and framed by toasty new oak, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with a firmer, more tightly wound profile than the more flamboyant Échézeaux, concluding with a youthfully chewy finish.