2019 Échézeaux, Grand Cru, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Burgundy

From a total holding of 4.67 ha of 50+ year old vines from 2 different climats, 90% of which is in Les Poulaillères and the remainder is in Clos St. Denis; from yields of 23 hl/ha.

An overtly spicy and agreeably cool nose combines notes of soy, star anise, clove and sandalwood with those of plum, violet and a hint of jasmine tea. Here, too, there is excellent intensity to the attractively textured medium-bodied flavours that flash seriously good length on the ever-so-mildly warm finale. This compact, dusty and moderately austere bitter pit fruit-inflected effort is going to need extended cellaring to arrive at its full apogee. As I noted last year, I don't ever recall seeing a better vintage from barrel, and all of that potential, the promise of a truly exceptional wine, appears to have made it into the bottle. In sum, the 2019 Ech is as good as any vintage in recent memory from the domaine.

Drink from 2036 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (January 2022)