Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2019: wines rated and reviewed

The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti occupies a unique place at the summit of esteem and quality in the world of Burgundy.

As befits a domaine of such renown, it is sometimes thought of as unchanging, but in truth the domaine has never ceased to evolve.

They have long used organic farming and have begun fully biodynamic practice in 2007 under the supervision of Nicolas Jacob, who became vineyard manager in 2006. Jacob took over from Gérard Marlot, who had come in 1986 with cellar master Bernard Noblet.

Noblet stayed in his post until 2018 when he was replaced by Alexandre Bernier at his retirement. The winemaking appears not to have changed at all: strict sorting, whole bunches, wooden vats, and new casks from cooper François Frères.

Full Burgundy 2019 en primeur report

Individual appellation overviews for:

Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Nuits & Mâconnais

Individual commune overviews for:

Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée & Nuits-St-Georges, Pommard & Volnay, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet & Santenay

The personnel continues to evolve, and even the universally-beloved Aubert de Villaine has stepped back somewhat, and visitors are most likely to be received by his nephew, Bertrand de Villaine.

Through the changes in personnel, the line-up of wines has also continued to evolve.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti first produced a red Corton in 2009 from 2.27 hectares that they lease from the heirs of the Domaine Prince Florent de Merode (in Corton Bressandes, Clos du Roi, and Renardes). They have been working with these new holdings, replanting where necessary and converting to biodynamic production to ensure consistent quality.

New projects

2019 will be the first vintage of Corton-Charlemagne, which will be produced from 2.49ha of vines that they are leasing from the new proprietors of Bonneau du Martray.

The vines are spread over six parcels in En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses) and Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton). The Domaine did not show the wine at the journalists’ tastings with the rest of their production, but with nearly 2.5ha of Corton-Charlemagne now, hopes run high for securing a taste.

See all Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wine tasting notes and scores

Despite the generalised fear of global warming, Bertrand de Villaine remains sanguine. ‘Even though all the vintages from 2015 – 2020 are thought of as demonstrating the effects of global warming, there are nuances: 2017 recalls the classic style of 2014, while 2016 was definitely moreish [‘plus gourmand’]. Ultimately, getting rain at the right moment is more important to the quality of the wine than the general trend of global warming.’

Aubert de Villaine reaches even further into the past to compare 2019 to 1865, noting the similarities between 2019 and the harvests that his ancestor Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet described then.

Perhaps despite it all, some things don’t change after all.

Charles Curtis MW rates the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2019 releases

See also

Chablis 2019: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Best value 2019 red Burgundy en primeur to buy

Best value 2019 white Burgundy en primeur to buy