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DRC Up to the Challenge of Quirky '04 Vintage
By Ed McCarthy
Mar 6, 2007
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The 2004 vintage for red Burgundy, according to most reports and based on my own visit to Bourgogne last September and from subsequent tastings, generally is average to good (the whites are considerably better). But rating charts don't really apply to the six exceptional Grand Cru red wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti - and its one sublime white, the Grand Cru Montrachet. Even in so-called lesser vintages, DRC, as it is commonly known, manages to produce very good wines, and in the better vintages, the wines are monumental. 

DRC Burgundies are arguably the greatest and most sought-after Burgundies produced - only those of Domaine Leroy rival them.  The extremely high cost of these wines reflects their quality and scarcity. In just about every major wine auction, one DRC Burgundy, Romanée-Conti, is often the most expensive wine in the entire auction.

Aubert deVillaine, a principal owner and co-Director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, addressed a group of journalists, retailers, and sommeliers on March 1 at a tasting of the 2004 DRCs at Restaurant Per Se in New York. The 2004 vintage in Burgundy 'tested our skills,' said deVillaine.

Good weather prevailed in the winter of '03 and spring of '04 up to early June, and flowering took place between June 10 and 15.  Then in mid-June, the weather became hot and humid, bringing with it oidium, a powdery mildew. July and August were both damp and cool. On August 23, hailstorms, a not uncommon occurrence in Burgundy, hit part of the DRC vineyards. But starting on August 25, the region had six unchanging weeks of  dry, clear, warm, 'luminous' weather. Rot completely dried up. In deVillaine's words, 'a vintage that was almost lost in August was saved in September.' 

By October 5, all of the DRC grapes were picked. DRC took a chance with the weather - as it invariably does - and picked its grapes later than other wineries, almost all of which were picking by September 20.  I was in Burgundy in early September and some wineries were already harvesting then. DeVillaine informed us that 'correct ripeness (by DRC's standards) occurred on September 25' and that's when DRC picked, followed by 'a later selection.'

What is the secret of the greatness of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Burgundies? First of all, naturally, is its terroir.  DRC's six red-wine vineyards are located in prime areas of the Côtes de Nuits, four of them - Romanée-Conti, La Tache, Richebourg, and Romanée-St.-Vivant - in the village of Vosne-Romanée, and two, Grands Échézeaux and Échézeaux, in the neighboring hamlet of Flagey-Échézeaux, across the road from Vosne-Romanée. The Romanée-Conti vineyard itself is said to be the most expensive piece of real estate in the world.  And its white Burgundy, Montrachet, is the most prestigious dry white wine in the world.

At DRC, a green harvest (thinning out) is performed among the younger vineyards in any vintage that shows signs of being too prolific -- such as 2004.  DRC's policy in the vineyards is classic non-intervention for its prized grapes: hand-tilling the vineyards, using natural compost, and so forth. DRC's grapes are always among the last to be picked in Burgundy, which accounts for no 'green' flavors in its red wines, a taste of which I've noticed in several other '04 red Burgundies.

One of DRC's most important steps towards achieving perfection in its wines is the very severe selection of grapes at the sorting table.  Any grape that is less than perfect is discarded.  The final step in producing DRC wines - no filtering is ever employed - ensures a very natural, hand-made wine.  No expense is spared. The vineyards vary in age, with Romanée Conti being the oldest, with vines up to 60 years of age.  As a result of all the precautionary steps taken in 2004 - pruning, de-budding, green harvesting, severe selection at the picking table (and also the hail) - the crop for 2004 was smaller than usual.

The 2004 vintage for red Burgundy, according to Aubert deVillaine, is 'a connoisseur's vintage,' one in which Burgundy's 'terroir is very noticeable,' much more so than in 2003 where the vintage's heat was the strongest factor, or in the yet-to-be-released 2005, where the sheer 'power of the vintage' dominates the wines.

I can totally understand deVillaine's comments after tasting the 2004s, because each wine is so different from one another, much more so than in the red Burgundies of 2003. DeVillaine summarizes the '04 red Burgundies as harmonious and easy-drinking, lacking 'the aggressiveness of vintages such as 1994 and 1995.'  When he was asked how long 2004 DRC red Burgundies would age, because they are not a powerhouse vintage, deVillaine smiled at the questioner and replied, 'They'll last a lot longer than you and I; I've never drunk any one of my Burgundies that have been too old.'

Come to think of it, neither have I. About 25 to 30 years ago, I purchased a number of DRC red Burgundies - when they were relatively affordable; I have only a handful left now.  Some have been truly great, others less so, but none have been too old, even in lesser vintages. One of the most memorable wines of my life was the 1966 Romanée-Conti, at a friend's house, back around 1978.  He opened it in his dining room; we were sitting in his living room, about 25 feet away.  All of a sudden, we stopped talking. The aroma of the wine, redolent of berries and exotic spices, wafted into the room.  Its taste was as sublime as its aroma. From that point on, I understood all the hoopla about Romanée-Conti.

The Romanée-Conti and La Tache vineyards are entirely owned by DRC; it owns a part of the other five vineyards. Romanée-Conti and Montrachet have the smallest production, both making only a few hundred cases a year; they are also the most expensive and sought-after wines in DRC's portfolio. In fact, you cannot purchase Romanée-Conti separately, only as one bottle in a mixed case of 12 DRC red Burgundies, or at a wine auction.

The 2004 DRC wines were bottled in the spring of 2006 and are being released now, but they all have been pre-sold at the wholesale level. A few of these wines will wind up in better retail shops, and the rest will be sold at auctions and in high-end restaurants.

The following are my reviews of the 2004 DRC Burgundies. Retail prices for these wines are not available yet, and so I list 2003 prices in most cases:

DRC Reds

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Échézeaux, Burgundy (France) 2004 ($400-$450/2003, Wilson-Daniels): DRC's Échézeaux is traditionally the lightest in body and the readiest to drink of its six great reds.  The '04 Échézeaux has exquisite aromas of wild cherries, is a bit lean in texture right now, with a good level of acidity. It has flavors of concentrated, tart red fruits, with a delicacy, finesse, and liveliness that makes it very attractive. It should take on more weight with a few years of aging. 91

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Grands Échézeaux, Burgundy (France) 2004 (about $700/2003, Wilson-Daniels): The 2004 DRC Grands Échézeaux is a big jump up in quality from the '04 Échézeaux, as it always is for me. It is darker in color and denser, and it is riper and richer than its little brother - unexpectedly rich for 2004. The '04 Grands Échézeaux has penetrating aromas and intense flavors of spice and fresh, ripe cherries, with a long finish. Its flavors are very pure, without a trace of oak.  It is totally delicious even now, and will be memorable for at least two decades. 94

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-St.-Vivant, Burgundy (France) 2004 (about $800/2003, Wilson-Daniels): It's quite amazing how different the Romanée-St.-Vivant is from Grands Échézeaux and all of the other DRC red Burgundies, even though the vineyards lie so close to each other. The '04 Romanée-St.-Vivant is darker in color than the Grands Échézeaux, but without its purity of flavor or raciness. Rather, the '04 Romanée-St.-Vivant is chunkier, with grainy tannins; it is not as ready to drink as the two '04 DRC Échézeaux wines. It is a rich, warm wine, with more blue and black fruit flavors than red, and it needs time to evolve.  92

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, Burgundy (France) 2004 ($1250-$1350/2003, Wilson-Daniels): The 2004 DRC Richebourg, as usual, is the powerhouse wine in the DRC lineup! It has lovely, opulent, fresh black and red fruit aromas and flavors. It's a big, rich, meaty wine that would be wonderful with a side of beef.  The '04 Richebourg is clearly the most 'in-your-face' and fullest-bodied of the DRC Burgundies, but without the linearity and elegance of the La Tache and Grands Échézeaux.  94

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tache, Burgundy (France) 2004 ($1850-$2000/2003, Wilson-Daniels): The 2004 La Tache's calling card is elegance rather than power.  It has perfect balance; even now, not even three years old, it seems to be complete, and yet it is only beginning its evolution. Its texture and structure, and its concentrated aromas and rich flavors of red and black fruits indicate that the '04 La Tache will have a very long life indeed. It is quietly powerful, and all class.  98

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti, Burgundy (France) 2004 ($2500-$3800/2001,at auction; Wilson-Daniels): Romanée-Conti has the distinction of usually being the world's most expensive wine upon release - that is, if you can find it.  Yes, it is a great wine, and it lives up to its reputation. Its price is another matter. The 2004 has powerful, exotic, spicy aromas, definitely one of its trademarks.  Nothing shy about this showy, complex wine!  It has very concentrated, dark fruit flavors, a result of the very low yields from its old vines.  It is a very hedonistic, seductive wine that just grows and grows in the glass. I'm sure that both the '04 Romanée-Conti and La Tache will last for at least 50 years.  Which is the better wine?  It really depends on your personal preference. I generally prefer the elegant La Tache to the flamboyant Romanée-Conti. 98

DRC Whites

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet, Burgundy (France) 2004 ($2000/2003, Wilson-Daniels):  DRC makes only one white wine, the Grand Cru Montrachet from Côtes de Beaune, and only in small amounts.  Of the dozen producers who make Montrachet, DRC's is the richest and most concentrated, and usually the most expensive.  For the many who enjoy its rich, opulent style, it is the best Montrachet. The '04 DRC Montrachet has penetrating aromas of apple and citrus, with a soft, creamy texture. It is rich in flavor, mainly citrus, ripe, and powerful.  Its grapes were picked late, adding a rich, honeyed flavor, and yet it has a strong backbone of acidity, suggesting that its lifespan will be great-at least 40 to 50 years.  In style, the DRC Montrachet is a cross between the power of a Richebourg and the flamboyance of Romanée-Conti.  A classic Grand Cru.  96