The 1978 Romanée Conti Grand Cru is a wine that I thought I would never taste. This bottle was served at a private dinner in Beaune with Bertrand de Villaine present. The bottom line is -- it delivered. With a thin tawny...
The 1978 Romanée Conti Grand Cru is a wine that I thought I would never taste. This bottle was served at a private dinner in Beaune with Bertrand de Villaine present. The bottom line is -- it delivered. With a thin tawny rim it shows its age, but the bouquet is truly transcendental, a mixture of red and black fruit such as wild strawberries and raspberry, and a hint of pomegranate all beautifully defined. With aeration it begins to offer more secondary aromas, such as brown sugar and a scent of a Tuscan delicatessen. The palate lives up to expectations with very fine tannins, fresh and tensile with a veneer of shimmering dark plum and raspberry fruit that soon gives way to more meaty notes, almost ferrous towards the finish. It has almost unbearable finesse. Is it a perfect wine? Almost. As much as I could, I drank this, as it is just a sublime and evocative Pinot Noir. Tasted November 2015. - Neal Martin