Fermented Grape Juice: Romanée-Conti 1953-2005 

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 23, 2019 

“More than one good judge agreed with me that it was almost impossible to conceive anything more perfect in its kind.” – George Saintsbury, writing about the 1858 Romanée-Conti in Notes on a Cellar-Book (1920)

You clicked open this article in disbelief. Like its author, you assumed that such a tasting could no longer be countenanced, that it was a Burgundy-lover’s chimera. Alternatively, you might be fulminating about words invested in a wine that cannot conceivably be imbibed by any sane person. Maybe you take umbrage that there is no cavalcade of perfect scores, notwithstanding the impudence of the title. Fermented grape juice? How dare he?! Perhaps one or two are grumbling that there is no update on the 1945 and demanding that I buy a damn bottle. And for that matter, why no 1947 Romanée-Conti? That pristine case of double magnums just arrived from China and requires a drinking window.

This article exists for a very simple reason: I tasted the wines. I could have vegged out in front of the TV on that drizzly Wednesday night. But I decided that my evening would be better spent at The Connaught, where one Omar Khan had organized a once-in-a-lifetime dinner, two of the attendees successful bidders at the Musique et Vin auction the previous June.

As a wine writer, my duty is to share thoughts and findings, even if they verge on polemic. No wine should be exempt from critique. Strip the label off a bottle of Romanée-Conti and a bottle of Bourgogne Rouge and you have the same thing: two bottles of Pinot Noir with their own strengths and weaknesses. I was two decades into my career before this tasting beckoned, and I doubt it will ever happen again (not that a repeat would completely ruin my day). Indeed, it was 17 years before even a single Romanée-Conti blessed with bottle age passed my lips. Up until that point, my assessments of a wine renowned for its longevity were limited to showings in barrel and just after bottling. (Yes, I know; poor me.) Like many people, I dreamed of tasting a mature Romanée-Conti, not only for the pleasure, but also to deepen my understanding and to cast my own judgment. Here was a chance to do just that – and go further by comparing multiple vintages against each other.

In writing this piece, I wanted to avoid hagiography. I encourage you to read the history of the vineyard, because it is full of colorful tales that are hopefully enjoyable to read. As with any winery, I endeavored to approach the subject matter with respect and without placing it upon a pedestal. I wanted to find out in fundamental terms: What is Romanée-Conti but fermented grape juice?

History

No maiden trip to the Côte d'Or is complete without paying homage to Romanée-Conti and taking the obligatory selfie, leaning against the lichen-mottled cross at the foot of the vineyard with its plaque dedicated to Gaudin de Villaine. Even after 20 years, if time permits, I make a quick detour just to drive by and… absorb. The vista across the vineyard is as transfixing now as it was that first time. But what are the domaine’s origins, and how did it come by such status? Several books tell the story; my favorite is Richard Olney's monogram, which is long out of print but well worth tracking down.