Romanée-Conti is not only the most famous wine in the world but also the best producer ever. In the words of the famous British wine critic and historian Clave Coates ‘The purest, most aristocratic and intense example of Pinot Noir imaginable. Not just nectar: a yardstick by which to judge all other Burgundies’. A legendary land for centuries first mentioned in 1232 when the vineyard was owned by the Monastery of Saint-Vivant. The monks were the largest landowners at that time in Vosne-Romanée and owned most of what we know today as Grand Cru vineyards.
The vineyards use the Selection Massale concept of old clones from the pre-1945 Romanée-Conti vineyard, the last harvest before the replacement of vines. These clones have their own character and produce very little. As a result, most of the estate vineyards harvest about half of what is allowed but produce wines with perfect balance.
All grapes are hand-picked by the same team year after year. After arriving at the winery, the grapes are sorted again to bring only healthy grapes to the next stage. There is no cold fermentation, so the must lies naturally until the actual fermentation starts, after a few days.
The wines produced at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti over the past 20-30 years are perhaps the best wines they have ever made and some of the most expensive in the world.
The Wine & Spirits auction features a bottle of Grand Cru from 1966 with an auction base of €3,000 – €4,000 (lot 300). An opportunity to savour the absolute best and make an excellent investment.
