Domaine de la Romanée Conti Richebourg Grand Cru

2015

Burghound 97: Subtle wood spice, violet, lavender, cassis, plum, tea and warm earth aromas combine to introduce incredibly rich, full-bodied, gorgeously complex and mouth coating flavors that possess near-perfect balance on the overtly powerful, sappy and explosively persistent mineral-driven finish. This is very firmly structured yet two important aspects render this entirely civilized: 1) the tannins are unusually fine-grained, and 2) there is so much dry extract present on the mid-palate that the backend does not possess its usual level of youthful austerity. Like the Romanée St. Vivant, this is textbook Riche built to last for decades.

Wine Advocate 96: The 2015 Richebourg Grand Cru is very good indeed, offering up a pure and surprisingly expressive nose of strawberry, dried rose, plum preserve, roast squab, raw cocoa and incipient rich soil tones, framed by some nutty new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and rich, sweet fruit playing in counterpoint with sapid, savory nuance. This Richebourg is denser at the core and less expansive than the corresponding Romanée-St-Vivant, and though the grain of its tannins is similar, their impact is more assertive and muscular. Cropped at 24 hectoliters per hectare and harvested September 8 and 9.

Vinous 97: The 2015 Richebourg Grand Cru was picked at 24.34hl/ha on 8 and 9 September. I fully agree with Aubert de Villaine who told me that the Richebourg vineyard has really stepped up a gear in recent years. This is very complex, profound even, a deep well of red berry fruit, crushed flowers, iris and wet loamy soil. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins that disguise the arching structured underneath. There is enormous depth and persistence to this Richebourg and yet the finish is balletic in poise with an extraordinarily persistence, slightly saline on the aftertaste.

Decanter 99: A vintage made for Richebourg', according to Aubert. Sumptuous and soaring, it is certainly already firing on all cylinders, beginning with the magnificent nose of violets and voluptuous red fruits. The palate is resplendently dramatic, with a fanfare of sweet raspberry coulis, dark cherry, bilberry and graphite. Plush, rippling tannins and gorgeous freshness provide the structure that frames this imperious monopole. It displays impeccable balance, class, concentration and sublime finesse. The finish is dazzlingly long. Harvested 8th & 9th September at 24.34hl/ha. Bottled 24th February, and 14th & 15th March 2017. 849 cases produced.