Visit to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – Tasting the 2023 reds

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is an estate dedicated to quality and coherence. This is not a place for ground-breaking or earth-bending changes, however, they are an estate that makes its changes with discretion.

This is the now responsibility of Perrine Fenal, who has taken over from the late Henry-Frédéric Roch; along Bertrand de Villaine, who has taken over from his uncle Aubert. A great team indeed.

I must say that I admire the work done at DRC. Surely but quietly modernised in these times of severe climate change, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti seems to move in the foreground of change without showing its full hand – this is done with discretion.

It’s important to understand the work done at this famous estate – that has just expanded the production of white wines with almost 3 ha of Corton Charlemagne – an area that matches some of the largest producers of white Grand Cru in Burgundy.

It might seem like business as usual … but it is far from!

Changes

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is a unique estate, the apotheosis of Vosne-Romanée and top-end Burgundy. As with all great estates, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti takes the preferences of its clients very seriously, and stylistic changes are thought through carefully. This is a complex process at an estate with as long of a history as DRC.

Substantial changes are nevertheless happening. Alexandre Bernier has taken over from Bernard Noblet, and one feels fresh new winds are sweeping gently through Vosne-Romanée.

Traditions are firmly upheld, but changes nonetheless happen, now as before. No one makes great wines year after year without adapting their viticulture and vinification to climate change and other substantial challenges.

Respect for collectors

The style of DRC’s wines was in the hands of the Noblet family for decades: first under Andre Noblet from 1946-1985, and then with Bernard Noblet from 1986 until he retired in 2018. The style and the conditions in which the wines are produced have without doubt evolved under the very long Noblet reign. While some parameters have been stable, important, but subtle, changes have appeared over time. And great wines have been made continually over the years.

Now, there’s a new winemaker at the wheel, a talent who has been at DRC for many years. I tasted the 2011 vintage with Alexandre Bernier back in 2012, on my very first visit to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

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