Romanee Conti 2016

The wine in this vintage

A rare example of a vintage combining reduced quantity with outstanding quality, 2016 saw spring frosts decimate the crop, followed by an ideal summer that ripened pure, balanced grapes. The Romanée-Conti 2016 stands among the vintage's summits, with 19.5/20 from Jancis Robinson and 98 points from Robert Parker. The bouquet is subtle and profound: rose, violet, raspberry, candied citrus, spice and forest floor. On the palate the wine is velvet, with imperceptible tannins and an interminable finish. Already captivating, it can continue to evolve for decades.

The producer · Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is, by universal consent, the ultimate reference point in Burgundy and one of the most revered names in the world of wine. Based in Vosne-Romanée, at the heart of the Côte de Nuits, it takes its name from the vineyard bought by the Prince of Conti in 1760. Since the nineteenth century the estate has been tied to the de Villaine family, joined in the twentieth century by the Leroy and later Roch families; Aubert de Villaine steered it for decades with a vision both rigorous and humble. The Domaine owns the two monopoles of Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, along with major holdings in Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Grands-Échezeaux, Échezeaux and Montrachet, more recently joined by Corton and Corton-Charlemagne. Organic and biodynamic farming, very low yields, harvesting at full ripeness and generous use of whole clusters produce wines of extraordinary transparency, depth and longevity: pure statements of terroir rather than of cellar style.

Critics' scores

• 98 Robert Parker
• 19.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

Region

Burgundy

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2016

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

98/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0450316