2001 vs 2002 DRC tasting with a few others

Bryan generous contributed the 01 and 02 DRCs for a cost share dinner. We decided to have two day events. The dinner was held at Marcel's where we drank the Echezeauxs, GEs and RSVs. Bryan kindly offered to host a lunch and we drank the Montrachet, Richebourgs and La Taches.

Dinner at Marcel's


Bryan's

• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Beautifully perfumed nose displaying sweet black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry, candied raspberry, a hint of mint/stem and sous bois, rose, truffle, caramel, sweet spices and earth. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, rich and dense especially compare to the GEs and the RSVs, medium acidity, good earthy mineral, a hint of very fine tannins and a long sweet blackberry and raspberry driven finish with stem and earthy mineral at the end. It is drinking beautifully but can improve for another decade as sous bois and tertiary notes have not fully developed.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive nose displaying youthful dense sweet red fruit, strawberry and rhubarb tart, more pronounced stem compare to the 01, rose, cinnamon, tree bark and earth. Excellent concentration, generous red fruit, quite rich and sweet yet showing excellent overall balance, good acidity, a hint of very fine tannins and a long rich red fruit driven finish. This bottle is more youthful and slightly bigger than the 01 but not as well integrated and harmonious. Although it is showing beautifully, it also lacks the finesse of the DRC GEs and RSVs. This can improve for another decade or two.

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• 2001 Domaine Jean Grivot Echezeaux 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Very youthful nose displaying deeply toned concentrated black fruit, dark caramel, espresso bean and earth. Excellent concentration, packed jammy black fruit, dense, rich and youthful, medium acidity, a hint of tannins and a medium to long dense deeply toned black fruit driven finish. It is a big scale wine that is a bit monolithic. This may need more time than the DRC Echezeauxs, perhaps two more decades?

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• 2002 Domaine Jean Grivot Echezeaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Very youthful nose, similar to the 01, displaying packed rich black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, dark caramel, a hint of oak/cedar, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, packed youthful black fruit, medium acidity, noticeable but sweet tannins and a medium to long packed black fruit driven finish. Perhaps the most youthful, rich and concentrated wine of the flight. It is not showing much sous bois or tertiary notes. If cellared ideally, this will need two more decades to reach the peak

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• 2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Echezeaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive big scale nose displaying rich red and black fruit, raspberry jelly, blackberry, roasted nuts, Asian spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, big scale youthful riche dense black fruit, medium acidity and mineral, and a long rich blackberry driven finish. This particular bottle is very youthful. I wonder if the producer prefers the Echezeaux to the Vosne Romanee Suchot. Another wine that will benefit by another decade of cellaring.

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• 2002 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Hedonistic nose displaying rich yet pure red fruit, raspberry, strawberry candy, light caramel, a hint of sous bois and earthy mineral. Very opulent yet sensual palate, nicely layered concentrated sweet red fruit, beautifully balanced and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated red fruit driven finish with a hint of rose and coffee at the end. It clearly displays the house style that we all love, i.e. rich and concentrated yet very pure fruit and sensual silky palate.

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The DRC GEs' palate is more polished than the Echezeauxs.

• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Significantly more polished and detailed nose displaying pure red fruit, cherry, current, strawberry jelly, a hint of stem, sweet spices, light caramel, mushroom and limestone. Beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered subtle sweet red fruit, silky, airy and polished, good acidity and mineral, and a long seamless subtle red fruit driven finish with stem and sweet spices at the end. Clearly displaying the pedigree compare to the first flight wines. Although drinking beautifully, this bottle can easily improve for another decade as sous bois has not fully emerged yet.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Similar to the 01 GE, i.e. clearly more polished and detailed than the first flight bottles, but more youthful and concentrated, and also showing more noticeable stem. Beautiful pure sweet red fruit, cherry, strawberry and rhubarb tart, crushed rose pedal, sweet spices and limestone. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, nicely layered concentrated yet detailed red fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long seamless pure red fruit driven finish with dominating stem at the end. Drinking beautifully but can benefit by additional decade of cellaring as sous bois has not emerged yet.

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• 2002 Joseph Drouhin Grands-Echezeaux 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Big scale expressive nose displaying very ripe, perhaps slightly overripe, black fruit, blackberry, blackberry jam, caramel, sweet spices and earth. Excellent concentration, packed concentrated ripe black fruit, dense, rich and oily, good acidity and mineral, and a medium to long concentrated ripe black fruit driven finish. The biggest and the richest wine of the night along with the Camille Giroud RSV but not as precise, pure and detailed as the DRC GEs. This is a very impressive and imposing youthful bottle that needs another two decades of cellaring.

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The DRC RSVs show the similar polished texture like the DRC Grand Echzeauxs but the nose is more complex.

• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Beautiful complex nose displaying sweet red fruit with a hint of black, raspberry jam, cherry compote, crushed blackberry, espresso bean, caramel, clove, noticeable stem, lavender, Vosne spice and limestone. Beautifully integrated youthful palate, very finely layered red fruit, silky and polished, good acidity, strong mineral and a seamless long sweet red fruit and Vosne spice driven finish. The palate is similar to the 01 DRC Grand Echezeaux but the nose is more complex. Excellent Showing.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Youthful yet complex nose displaying opulent red and black fruit, raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, even more pronounced stem than the 01 RSV, sweet spices, sap, Vosne spice, Chinese medicine and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of generous raspberry and blackberry, deeply toned yet pure and precise, dense yet silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long opulent red and black fruit driven finish with sweet spices and Chinese medicine at the end. Slightly more youthful and concentrated than the 01 but not as well integrated and harmonious. It will take another five to ten years to reach the youthful peak.

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• 2002 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Romanée St. Vivant 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive nose displaying pure red fruit, raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb tart, sap, rose and limestone mineral. Excellent concentration, packed pure red fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long clean and pure red fruit driven finish with sap and rose at the end. It lacks complexity of the DRC versions but very pure and energetic. It has reached the youthful peak but will need another decade to reach the peak, gaining sous bois and more tertiary notes. Really enjoyable.

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• 2001 Camille Giroud Romanée St. Vivant

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive nose displaying ripe red and black fruit, raspberry jam, cherry liqueur, candied blackberry, dark caramel, cola, Vosne spice and earth. Excellent concentration, tightly packed concentrated red fruit, rich and deeply toned, good acidity, strong earthy mineral, and a long concentrated red fruit and caramel driven finish. This is the most youthful and masculine wine, slightly lacking charm and complexity. It will need another decade to reach the youthful peak.

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It is slightly oxidized. Paul mentions that he had a couple bottles recently which were also advanced. Caveat Emptor!

• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Dark gold which is slightly worrisome. The first sniff, a hint of sherry. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe slightly dry yellow fruit, dry peach, dry orange peel, orange candy, honey, crème bruless, botrytis and sweet spices. Exceptional concentration, concentrated slightly dry yellow fruit, dense and oily, bright acidity, light mineral and a short to medium long finish. Bryan purchased upon release and cellared ideally. Clearly advanced. Caveat Emptor!

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Amy mentions that it just turns to a leaf day. The wines, especially DRCs, were not too expressive.

• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Slightly austere nose displaying subtle sweet red fruit, raspberry candy, strawberry jam, caramel, a hint of stem, rose, cinnamon, clove, tiequayin tea, smoke meat and earth. Fully integrated palate, slightly coiled red fruit, silky and polished, strong acidity and earthy mineral, fine tannins and a medium to long sweet red fruit driven finish with tea and clove at the end. The bottle is correct but surprisingly tight and unyielding.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Medium expressive nose displaying sweet red and black fruit, raspberry candy, black cherry, blackberry, caramel, strong stem, even stronger than the 01, rose, perfume, clove, cedar, tiequayin tea and earth. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet red and black fruit, silky and polished, good acidity and mineral, silky tannins and a medium to long sweet red and black fruit driven finish with tea and perfume at the end. Once again bit tight.

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• 2001 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  En magnum, smell of dirty damp cellar that doesn’t dissipate, also wild animal and musk. It never opens up.

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• 2001 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Youthful nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry candy, black cherry, raspberry, cola, dark spices, vanilla and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered clean black fruit, dense yet silky, good acidity, earthy mineral, noticeable but silky tannins and a medium to long concentration black fruit driven finish. It is a bit straightforward compare to the DRCs but shows more fruit. It remains very youthful and needs another decade to reach the peak.

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• 2002 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive youthful nose displaying concentrated opulent black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry jelly, black cherry, raspberry, caramel, espresso bean, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered opulent black fruit, dense and oily yet silky and polished, good acidity and mineral, and a long generous black fruit driven finish with espresso bean at the end. Showing more generous fruit than the 01. Although it is very enjoyable with opulent fruit, it will need another decade to reach the peak.

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• 2002 Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive nose displaying sweet concentrated red fruit, raspberry candy, cherry, coffee, roasted fruit, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered sweet red fruit, dense yet silky and polished, good acidity and mineral, and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with coffee and dark spices at the end. It is drinking nicely in a youthful way but can improved for another decade or two.

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One of the best showings and I drank my fair shares.

• 1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 99 Points

  France, Champagne

  (10/20/2018)

  One of the best showings. Incredibly energetic nose displaying intense white and yellow fruit, pineapple, fresh apple juice, white peach, honey, white flowers, white pepper, spicy spices, cool mountain stream and crushed rocks. Perfectly balanced youthful palate, concentrated intense pure yellow and white fruit, abundant very fine mousse, exceptional energy and freshness, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long intense finish with honey and limestone mineral at the end. Absolutely memorable showing, displaying richness and complexity while retaining youthful energy, purity and freshness. Incredibly showing.

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• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Medium expressive nose displaying sweet black fruit, blackberry candy, black cherry, licorice, caramel. a hint of stem, rose, Vosne spice, Tiequayin tea, Chinese medicine and earth. There is a hint of oxidative note that I associate with the 01 reds. Fully integrated palate, subtle sweet black fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity, medium mineral, nicely integrated tannins and a medium to long sweet black fruit driven finish. Not terribly expressive.

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• 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

  (10/20/2018)

  Expressive nose displaying opulent black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, Vosne spice, incense, a hint of stem, Chinese medicine, oolong tea, rose, espresso, dark spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, nicely layered rich black fruit, silky and polished, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long rich black fruit driven finish with tea and Chinese medicine at the end. Seems much more youthful than the 01.

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