2012 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru

The 2012 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru was picked over three days from September 23 to 25. It is broodier on the bouquet compared to its “little brother,” but it boasts astonishing delineation, the fruit a little blacker with a mineral, marine-influenced undertow. The palate is suffused with incredible energy from start to finish. Armed with breath-taking delineation and ethereal balance, this just soars in the mouth, constituting a riveting Grands Echezeaux in the making. Aubert de Villaine was traveling the Far East when I visited the domaine’s relocated offices that lie in the shadow of the church in the main square in Vosne. And so cellar-master Bernard Noblet, distinctive with his hulking frame, escorted me through barrel samples of their 2012. Not everything was available for me to taste. Their Montrachet was damaged by hail and consequently there is less than half the usual crop, and Bernard was adamant that the Corton was not in representative condition. Incidentally, there is no Cuvee Duvault-Blochet in 2012, as one would expect in such a small volume crop. The domaine gave me a summary of this infamous growing season that essentially repeated the remarks of other growers, but expressed in Aubert’s poetic, allegorical fashion, my favorite sentence: “The vigneron’s intervention is quiet and rare, as that of the crew of a sailboat navigating calm weather.” Of course, the domaine, especially vineyard manager Nicolas Jacob, was not spared the choppy waters of the tumultuous season that threatened to capsize many of the region’s finest vignerons. The estate’s biodynamic principles meant that applying the preparations and treatments proved challenging when one day out of every three was rainy. The harvest commenced on September 21 in Corton and finished nine days later in Echezeaux, the secateurs put back into their sheaths when the heavens opened on September 25 and 26. Yields are recorded at 20 hectoliters per hectare, which is approximately 25% less than usual. That said, upon entering the reception area I was confronted with what appeared to be the entire allocation for the United States shrink-wrapped on towering pallets. You have to remember that this is for one of the largest countries in the world. These barrel samples are rather academic. These wines are not available for another year and readers will find bottled reviews, which I have written every February since 1998, more relevant since the wines will be finished and ready for sale. However, I decided to publish these notes so that they can be juxtaposed against their peers and my remarks in 12 months time. One point that I found interesting was the more prudent use of stems, logical when you consider that the lack of sunshine in the early part of the season would mean not all stems would have been fully lignified. Therefore, the pickers had to patiently wait until the berries were fully ripe. You do not need me to tell you that their 2012s are variations upon “spellbinding” and will doubtless cost a pretty penny. Truth is, there are cheaper alternatives out there, many of which I have praised in my recent report. There is only one thing – they are not Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661 and through Corney & Barrow (UK).

The 2012 Grands-Échézeaux is quite dark and somber in 2012. Powerful tannins give the Grands-Échézeaux much of its verticality and pure power. Dark cherry, plum, spices and a host of mentholated, balsamic notes are woven throughout. The 2012 is built for the long haul, that much is obvious. I wouldn't plan on opening a bottle any time soon. I very much like the wine's sense of energy.

Bright red-ruby. Musky aroma of black raspberry, minerals and roasted herbs; smells thick! Dense, chewy and tactile on the palate, but with excellent lift to the flavors of dark plum, mocha and saline minerality. Most impressive today on the explosive, mounting finish. Boasts an uncanny combination of thickness and balance.