Markus organized us an entry to Martel’s 2019 DRC arrivage tasting with ca. 100 participants, mostly long term DRC clients. All of the 10 DRC cuvées were served, which amounts to a whopping 70 bottles of 2019 DRC being opened on a single day by Martel. A very generous gesture as the price of the event remains moderate. The new Corton Charlemagne was shown for the first time and the Vosne 1er Cru (a blend of various jeune vignes) which exists every few years was also in the line up.
The 2019 wines were rich and ripe, reminiscent of the 2009 vintage, so not the most terrior precise, at least now. I would therefore not open them too early and let them develop tertiary notes and shed some of their youthful fruit, then, I am sure, you will have awesome bottles at hand.
Tasting Notes
Reds
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet, 93 Points
Discrete nose, ripe red cherry, some cinnamon, medium complexity and relatively light on the mid palate.
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton Domaine Prince Florent de Merode, 96 Points
As always a very serious wine and one the consistently challenges the ECHs. In this warm vintage a particular success with ore freshness then many of the Vosne wines of the estate. Complex nose of dark fruit, sous-bois, elegant palate, good freshness. you’d wish that everyone on the hill would made Cortons like this. Stellar. 96-97
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux, 96 Points
Very impressive density, more than usual for DRC’s Ech. Dark fruit, cherry, rich palate, touch of whole cluster. A success in this vintage and fore me at par with the GRECH and RSV in 2019.
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux, 96 Points
Very rich and ripe, the warm vintage on full display, a touch of alc. heat as well. Sweet cherry with cinnamon spice, dense. This time I felt the gap to the normal Ech was much smaller, just a bit riper and denser but that did not translate into a higher score. What I liked here was a light whole cluster note on the finish. Definitely a wine for the cellar at least till 2030.
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant, 95 Points
Discrete nose, lots of dark cherry, very ripe again, almost too ripe. Usually among my favorite wines in the DRC line up but not this year. If felt it had a bit too much fruit compared to the structure, complaining on a very high quality level but that is the bar all DRC wines have to jump over given their price.
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg, 98 Points
This was one of the favorites at our table end with dens, dark fruit matched by an impressive tannic frame and acidity. A bit wine yet complex and elegant enough to make it work. Definitely one for the cellar and after 2034.
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, 99 Points
As always in the DRC line up, when you hit the La Tache it becomes immediately clear why it commands a price premium based on quality not just on scarcity or top of the line position. Next to the dense, ripe fruit there was an amazing aromatic complexity and refined structure. Succulent and serious. Surely a candidate for tripple digit with 15 years of bottle age. 99-100
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti, 100 Points
Usually the La Tache is my favorite wine of the DRC line up. I thought, this year the RC had the edge because it defied the ripe vintage with a sublimely elegant wine that was complex, ripe, ethereal. So elegant, so fresh, yet with a strong palate presence. The squaring of the circle. Wonderful and probably the last time I taste this, given its price.
Whites
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton-Charlemagne 98 Points
A white wine in the as good as it gets category. Expressive nose with lots of match stick, lemon curd, pop corn, minerals. Wonderful! Better controlled richness than with the Le Montrachet. 98+
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 95 Points
Very ripe, almost too sweet for me with pine apple intermixing with the lemon and oak spice notes. Good but I clearly preferred the Corton Charlemagne next to it.
Autors: Christian Raubach, WSET III, FWS, Markus Kumschick, WSET III
November 2, 2022