2019 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg Grand Cru

The 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru, the first cuvées to be picked on September 15–16 at 21h/ha, has a very intense marine-influenced bouquet, Japanese nori and shucked oyster shells permeating the black fruit. This is very distinctive from other Richebourgs that I have tasted. The palate displays exquisite balance and astonishing focus. One of the most saline Richebourg wines that I have tasted from the domaine out of barrel, this exerts a gentle grip in the mouth and culminates in a sapid finish that rivets your feet to the ground. Profound.

The 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru offers up striking aromas of cherries, raspberries and cassis, complemented by notes of cloves, exotic spices, hoisin sauce, violets and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, it's rich and layered, with a broader-shouldered, more muscular profile than the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, displaying terrific concentration and concluding with a long, perfumed finish. Picked on September 15, this was the first plot harvested by the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

The 2019 Richebourg Grand Cru is a perplexing wine. Tight and austere, the 2019 is not giving up much today. Then again, it is Richebourg. I like the energy, but the 2019 ultimately feels a bit light. The mid-palate is just not filled out. Next to all the other wines in this range, the Richebourg comes across as lacking in depth. I would not be surprised if in some years the team might take the view that this fruit should have been picked a touch later. Or perhaps the Richebourg suffered a bit more through the heat. Today, it is pretty clear the Richebourg is the outlier in 2019.