Tasting of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2009

In May 2012 I had the opportunity to taste a part of the 2009 collection from DRC. The tasting included the first vintage of the new Corton, but sadly the Montrachet and Romanee-Conti were missing.

The tasting showed a fantastic collection of great 2009s, all the wines were focused and elegant with a lot of finesse. Make no mistake however – these are BIG wines, and while they are not showing the dense side of the 2009 vintage, they have a lot of power.

I was very impressed to see how DRC have managed to make the 2009s fresh with a lot of red fruit, rather than the more dense dark nuances found in other 2009s.

The 2009 DRC’s are all great wines, and it’s a top vintage for DRC. It’s perhaps not at the same level as 2005, 1990 and 1999, but the 2009s are quite close to these vintages quality wise.

Richebourg, Romanee St. Vivant and La Tache are all among the best wines produced in this vintage, and Grands Echezeaux is most likely the best wine produced on this vineyard in 2009. The Echezeaux is almost on par with the best Echezeaux made in 2009 – i.e. Liger-Belair, Grivot – and slightly better than Mugneret-Gibourg and Rouget.

The new member of the DRC family – Corton

The 2009 vintage is ther first year for DRC’s Corton. The Corton is placed in the bottom of the DRC lineup pricewise, and is in my view not really a member of the family. Firstly it’s a Corton and not a Vosne/Flagey wine, this making it completely different terroir-wise. Secondly the vinification is not the same, as destemming is used in the Corton, further more less new oak is currently used for the Corton.

The result is a much darker and slightly austere expression in the 2009 vintage – compared to the other DRC wines. It’s a typical Corton, and a fine wine … but aromatically it really doesn’t fit in the lineup in my view. Anyhow this could changes in the following years?

Tasting Notes – Domaine de la Romanee-Conti 2009

Here are the tasting notes from our tasting of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, on May 14th, 2012.

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Corton 2009

First vintage of Corton from Domaine de la Romanee Conti. The Corton is the odd one out in the DRC lineup, and it doesn’t really benefit from being served alongside it’s brothers and sisters from Vosne Romanee. In the bouquet darker fruit aromas – raspberries, plum, black cherries, cassis and liquorice. On the palate tightly knit fruit aromas, quite muscular and sturdy build. It’s a classic Corton, and a bigger more dense wine than the 1. cru Vosne and the Echezeaux. The Corton is however lacking some of the complexity and finesse found in all the other DRC wines. Nevertheless a fine to very fine classic Corton, sadly I don’t really find red Corton very appealing.

(Drink From 2028) Fine+ – 93p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Vosne-Romanee 1er cru Duvault-Blochet 2009

The Vosne Romanee 1’er cru – Cuvee Duvault-Blochet – is a blend the grand cru vineyards in Vosne Romanee. The grapes are from the second pass trough in the vineyards, collecting grapes not fully ripe on the first pass trough. The 2009 edition of the cuvee Duvault-Blochet is a very open and charming wine. In the nose loads of Vosne spices, fine ripe red fruits with a good underlying minerality – notes of cherries, rasp- and strawberries, violets and peony rose. On the palate more openly knit than the other DRC wines, with layers of delicate fresh red and dark fruit. Not as precise and focused as the single vineyard wines, but very charming and complex in it’s own right. Very delicious and spicy – the Echezeaux is slightly better. But the 1. cru is – at least currently – more appealing.

(Drink From 2022) Very Fine – 93p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2009

The Echezeaux 2009 from Domaine de la Romanee Conti is a beautiful and enjoyable wine. In the bouquet fine sweet red fruit aromas – raspberries, cherries – spiced with peony rose and vanilla from the quite present oak. On the palate delicate ripe pinot fruit, quite rich and velvet, with a quite focused and intense finish. It has quite a touch of oak presently, and need time to integrate this. It’s perhaps a not the most mineralic and complex Echezeaux, nor the most concentrated for that matter. The DRC Echezeaux however has a lovely purity and balance in the pinot expression, and the quite dense 2009 vintage is transformed into a refined quite velvet display of delicate pinot flavors – this is a pleasure wine!

(Drink From 2025) Very Fine – 94p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Grands Echezeaux 2009

The DRC Grands Echezeaux 2009 is a beautiful and very balanced effort. In the bouquet darker and richer than the Echezeaux, with notes of black cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries, perfumed with a slight mocca and liquorice. On the palate bigger, more lush than the Echezeaux, the fruit is rich and fine rather than intense and focused. The midpalate concentration is very good, leading to a long and lingering finish. For me this a classical Grands Echezeaux, it’s lovely, charming with a wonderfull zen like balance and harmony. Very impressive – A lovely wine.

(Drink From 2027) Outstanding – 95p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanee St. Vivant 2009

The DRC Romanee St. Vivant 2009 is a brilliant wine. In the bouquet layers of delicate red fruits – forrest berries, raspberries – perfumed with allspice, violets and peony rose. The bouquet is very focused with multidimensional nuances of red fruits and minerality. On the palate immensely pure, refined and focused, with almost infinite layers of fresh velvet red pinot fruit. The elegantly fruity midpalate is balanced with a very delicate yet strong mineralic backbone from the terroir. Not as muscular as the Richebourg, but much more refined and delicate – a masterpiece. I love this wine!

(Drink From 2027) Extraordinary – 97p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2009

The DRC Richebourg 2009 is a big muscular wine. In the bouquet quite floral with loads of ripe fruit – plum, black cherries, red and black forrest berries, notes of mocca, slightly toasted oak and Vosne spices. On the palate very rich and lush, with a big quite openly knit structure. It’s a very muscular and powerfull Burgundy, but still quite charming and accessible. It’s not as refined and focused as the Romanee St. Vivant, but a more dramatic wine, with a slightly rustic and heavy expression. I prefer the style of the Romanee St. Vivant, but the Richebourg is almost on the same level quality wise. Very impressive and charming.

(Drink From 2032) Extraordinary – 97p

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tache 2009

The DRC la Tache 2009 is a quite monumental wine. In the bouquet layers of red and dark fruit – forrest berries, black cherries – perfumed with allspice, violets, peony rose and cinnamon. On the palate a gear up from the concentration in Richebourg and Romanee St. Vivant. Mulitible layers of lush ripe pinot fruit, firmly structured by a intense mineralic expression of the terroir. Style wise it resembles the Richebourg, just more rich and dense, and much more focused. In addition the La Tache 09 has a zen like harmony and balance – very impressive at this very young stage. It’s perheps not able to rival the great 1990, but is definately a great bottle of La Tache.

(Drink From 2037) Extraordinary – 98p

Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée Saint-Vivant 2008 June 3, 2023
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 2007 June 3, 2023
• The DRC Richebourg 2010 and a contrasting RSV May 14, 2021
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Saint-Vivant 2009 – 7 years after October 23, 2019
• Hope for an old Romanée-Conti, and a delightful Dujac 1976 September 27, 2019
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2008 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2011 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée-Conti 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée Saint-Vivant 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Grands Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Corton 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 January 1, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Montrachet 2009 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2004 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 February 15, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 1990 January 26, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2004 December 2, 2014
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2011 October 10, 2014
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2011 October 1, 2014
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Batard-Montrachet 2007 November 5, 2013
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2000 October 24, 2013
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Vosne-Romanee 1er cru 2008 October 23, 2013
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2002 May 23, 2013
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Batard Montrachet 2000 April 11, 2013
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2004 April 1, 2013

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