Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 1988-2004

There are few white Burgundies I look forward to drinking more than DRC's Montrachet. The expression of Chardonnay can vary to such an extreme degree; from super-opulent wines like the 1988 and 2008 to much leaner, more vibrant years such as the 1996, 2004 and 2010. Of these five Montrachets, the most surprising is the 2003, which can only be described as a huge overachiever within the context of a torrid growing season. With the exception of a less than perfect bottle of the 1989, the other wines in this mini-vertical all showed consistently with prior tastings.

The 1988 Montrachet is gorgeous. This particular bottle is less exotic and more structured than some of the others I have had recently. Here it is the wine's sense of phenolics and overall structure that dominate over some of the more tropical, buttery notes I have seen in the past. The 1988 Montrachet is a thrill a minute. At times the 1988 is quite extroverted, while in other moments it is much more buttoned up. Either way, the 1988 Montrachet dazzles from the very first taste. It should continue to drink well for at least another decade. 97+/Drinking window: 2014-2028. Sadly, the 1989 Montrachet never comes together in the glass. The color is good and there are no obvious flaws aside from a less than perfect cork, but the 1989 remains monolithic and unexpressive. I suspect a flawed bottle here, which is a real shame. ?/Drinking window: 2014-2019.