2016 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tache Grand Cru 1x750ml

Vinous 98

The 2016 La Tache Grand Cru was picked on September 24-25 at 31hL/ha (the highest of the five crus). It has an utterly sublime bouquet of blackberry, briar, crushed limestone, a dash of cracked black pepper and a little oregano. This is extremely complex and displays exquisite focus, to the extent that you could just sit and nose it all day. The palate is beautifully balanced, the spicy red fruit framed by filigreed tannin that belies its backbone. There is a gentle crescendo from start to finish, though being La Tache it retains complete control. The precision and detail in the final third are deeply impressive. Less fruit-forward than the 2015, and lightly spiced, with an insistent grip. There is a captivating sense of completeness that will ensure longevity through three or four decades. 1,814 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow s annual in-bottle tasting in London. [Neal Martin, 02/06/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2025-2060

Burghound 94-97

As is often the case, the highly perfumed nose is the most floral-inflected of the entire range with its equally cool and restrained array of violet and rose petal scents that combine with an extraordinary group of spice elements on the essence of red currant aromas. The mouthfeel of the imposingly-scaled and powerful flavors is again robust yet refined with just as much minerality as the Richebourg adding even more lift to the almost painfully intense and extravagantly long finish. This is clearly still evolving as it’s quite linear at present and will need time to add flesh to the classy bones. As the description suggests, this is still a work in progress and it will need plenty of time to reach its apogee but I for one hope that I am still around to see it! [Allen Meadows, 01/15/2018]