The Echezeaux 2007 battle – a very close race!

One rarely have the chance to compare four of the very best wines from the Echezeaux vineyard. This was however the case earlier this week, where the Echezeaux 2007s from Grivot, Rouget, Liger-Belair and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti were served in one flght at a Burgundy tasting.

These four produceres are, in my view, all among the very best on the Echezeaux vineyard – and quite evenly matched in most vintages. But how close are these wines directly compared – lets find out?!

A very close race indeed!

All three wines are still quite young and primary, and the DRC Echezeaux 2007 is somehow the most backward wine, while the three others are quite approchable.

The quality level of all four wines are very high for the vintage, and they are very evenly matched. My favorites at this point are Liger-Belair and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti very closely followed by Grivot and Rouget … with each wine expressing different qualities … and slightly weak sides.

For me the Echezeauxs 2007 from Jean Grivot and Emmanuel Rouget are on the same level. Emmanuel Rouget offer a more openly knit structure, with a slightly less mineralic notes, and a somewhat more forward and unmanipulated fruit – lovely but perhaps lacking some focus and refinement.

The Grivot Echezeaux 2007 offer more mineralic focus and the wine is tighter with a better concentration than the Rouget wine. The concentration does however come at a price as the finish is showing a slight vegetal bitternes – it’s a very slight note but nevertheless noticeable after some time in the glass. That being said – this is a lovely Echezeaux.

In the top two – Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair – it’s a close race between two very different wines.

The Echezeaux 2007 from DRC seems quite lightfooted and organic compared to the three other wines. The nose is rather closed but is nevertheless showing very filigree red fruit aromas – indicating a quite low level of SO2. On the palate very focused organic fruit – intense – but refined and quite light compared to the other wines. Personally I love this style, but the somewhat strange notes of fennel/mint is somehow not adding to my pleasure – nevertheless a very seductive and refined effort.

Finally the Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2007 – a true beauty. It combines the power and mineralic focus of the Grivot, with some of the purity and refinement of the DRC Echezeaux. The terroir expression is excellent coming partly from the same terroir as the Grivot – Les Cruots – in my view one of the most interesting climates of the Echezeaux vineyard. The nose is wonderfully perfumed with Vosne spices and showing both power and refinement. On the palate the concentration equals that of the Grivot wine.

And the winner is

As mentioned earlier this is a very close race between four very fine wines – and it’s impossible to pick a clear winner.

In my view the most complete package is however the Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2007, as it currently combines power and refinement better than the ofther wines.

The winners are however the wine drinkers who will enjoy drinking these lovely wines. Firstly they are all very beautiful wines, secondly they offer a wide range of qualities – from the filigree refinement of the DRC to the mineralic power of the Grivot – and still they are very evenly matched quality wise.

Personally I was also very intrigued and seduced by the lightfooted, crystal clear and transparent Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti … but would happily drink all four wines again – bring them on!

Lastest Tasting Notes for this Vineyard

• Visit to Domaine Anne Gros – Tasting the 2022s March 28, 2024
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2019 July 4, 2023
• Domaine Jean Fournier Marsannay Les Longeroies 2015 Version Originale April 25, 2023
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux 2014 April 14, 2023
• Visit to Domaine Anne Gros – tasting the 2019s May 3, 2021
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2009 March 6, 2019
• Domaine Jacques Cacheux, Echezeaux 1999 February 9, 2019
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2009 October 17, 2018
• Domaine Dujac, Echezeaux 2008 July 16, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2008 July 6, 2018
• Domaine Anne Gros, Echezeaux 2011 January 27, 2018
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2011 July 20, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Echezeaux 2015 July 11, 2017
• Domaine Dujac, Echezeaux 2015 July 8, 2017
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2010 June 28, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 January 1, 2017
• Jean-Marc Millot, Echezeaux 2014 October 15, 2016
• Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg, Echezeaux 2015 July 15, 2016
• Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Echezeaux 2014 July 7, 2016

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