TIME TO BUY?
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
3 bottle assortment case
It's our best La Tâche in a very long time.
Aubert de Villaine, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
The two that really stood out relative to their normal quality levels were the Echézeaux and the RSV, but I repeat, they're all terrific.
Allen Meadows, burghound.com
2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti assortment case
(La Tâche, Romanée-St Vivant, Echézeaux)
£8,800 per 3 bottle case in bond
Our ‘Time to buy?’ offers continue to gain attention and promote discussion and I expect this will be no different.
A 2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 3-bottle assortment OWC at £8,800 per 3 bottle case in bond, containing one bottle each of La Tâche, Echezeaux and Romanée St. Vivant.
I looked up the Liv-ex peak prices for the components (they are quoted per 12 on Liv-ex’s pricing history) and the total comes to approximately £16,975 in late 2022. The price quote above is over 48% down from the peak prices tracked by Liv-ex. Additionally, taking the lowest single, loose bottle price for each of the three wines in the UK market gives a total of £10,081 per 3 bottles.
2019 is a very highly regarded vintage for Burgundy and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. I tend to refer to Allen Meadows of burghound.com when writing up any DRC offer. He appears to have significant tasting experience with the domaine and is able to place each vintage into context. He commented as follows in his introduction on the vintage, relaying a conversation with Aubert de Villaine:
‘When I commented that I found the 2019 La Tâche to be absolutely superb and perhaps even a cut above its usual stunning level, de Villaine noted in return that "it's our best La Tâche in a very long time." When I then asked if he thought it might day equal, or perhaps even surpass, the absolutely brilliant 1999, he demurred simply saying that "it's not out of the question," which I took to be a very positive endorsement. I would add that with the exception of the Corton, all of the 2019s here are incredible….The two that really stood out relative to their normal quality levels were the Echézeaux and the RSV, but I repeat, they're all terrific. In short, 2019 is quite simply a knockout good vintage for the domaine and with as many fantastic vintages as they have had, this is really saying something.’
So, the three wines that really stood out in Allen’s tasting are featured in this case.
Here are his notes on the individual wines:
La Tâche 2019
99 points, Allen Meadows, burghound.com
A classic and super-fresh La Tâche nose is also quite restrained and only grudgingly offers up a kaleidoscopic range of spice elements that are laced with a wonderful array of floral nuances on the red and dark berry fruit scents. There is superb detail to the muscular big-bodied flavors that brim with both minerality and dry extract before culminating in an explosively long, balanced, youthfully austere and harmonious finish. This is sleek, classy and powerful plus it is packed with development potential though a wine that’s going to require many decades to fully resolve the very firm lashing to supporting tannins. The 2019 LT reminds me of such recent vintages as the 2015, 2010 and 1999 but it may in fact ultimately surpass all of them, which is really saying something. In short, this too is absolutely brilliant. Drink 2044+
Romanée-St.Vivant 2019
97 points, Allen Meadows, burghound.com
Subtle wood influence can be found on the equally ripe, airy and gorgeously elegant nose of black cherry, cassis, exotic tea and an almost endless range of spice elements. There is unusually good volume and punch to the lavishly rich, even opulent, medium weight plus flavors that coat the palate with sappy dry extract on the highly energetic and very powerful finish. This is also quite firmly structured and 2019 is relatively big and muscular vintage for the RSV. With that said, I suspect that the hallmark finesse and refinement will eventually reveal themselves with extended time in bottle. I would add that I thought this was marvelous from barrel but it's even better now that it's in bottle. Drink 2039+
Echézeaux 2019
95 points, Allen Meadows, burghound.com
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 flavors 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 appears to have made it into bottle. In sum, the 2019 Ech is as good as any vintage in recent memory from the domaine. 2036+
A compelling set of wines, without a doubt. At market-corrected prices, these kind of offers should surely be drawing attention from canny buyers and collectors!
Please let us know of your interest.
Simon
simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com