DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI Corton Grand Cru 2018 Bottle

Description

The 2018 Corton Grand Cru exudes majesty, showcasing the vineyard's grandeur with its deep ruby heart. This vintage surpasses the acclaimed 2015, effortlessly presenting a nose that bursts with rich, meaty aromas and earthy nuances, with a touch of stony minerality that beckons exploration. On the palate, experience its substantial, velvet structure, enveloped in sweet, decadent fruit, an unusual delight for Corton wines. The blend of plots, including Clos du Roi, Bressandes, and Renardes, reveals complexity, with sweet spices and fine-grained oak adding layers of sophistication. Critics commend its finesse and gripping finish, rich in character yet elegantly crafted. With a recommended drinking window from 2025 to 2036, this wine promises to evolve beautifully, offering a profound tasting experience that will captivate.

*****

CORNEY & BARROW 18 points
The hill of Corton has a suitably majestic presence whose twin adornments Pernand-Vergelesses on the left and Aloxe-Corton on the right appear almost insignificantly small. Unsurprisingly the hill also dwarfs the minute size of the Domaine’s three plots – “Le Clos du Roi” (0.57 hectares), “Les Bressandes” (1.2 hectares) and “Les Renardes” (0.5 hectares). For me the 2018 pips the outstanding 2015. This Corton, the first to be harvested, wears the vintage effortlessly. Deep ruby heart, almost opaque. The nose offers a dark, meaty rich perfume, earthy, slightly “wild” with hints of stony minerality. The palate has a substantial and velvet dry structure cased in sweet almost debauched fruit – so rare in Corton - with the merest kick of grainy “grit in the oyster” grip to a finish of rather beautiful length. Recommended drinking from 2028 - 2035.

DECANTER 95 points
Tasted by Tim Atkin MW(at 2018 En primeur tastings, Burgundy, 20 Oct 2018)
DRC made one of the three parcels that make up this Grand Cru blend - Renardes, Bressandes and Clos du Roi - on its own in 2018 but concluded that it was better blended with the other two after all. Fermented with 90% whole bunches, it's sweeter, spicier and less rustic than many Cortons, showing considerable finesse, sweet spices, fine-grained oak and some grip. Drinking Window 2025 - 2036.

JASPER MORRIS - Inside Burgundy - 5 STARS (97) points
"We tasted the separate components – one cuvée from Renardes and Bressandes, and another from Clos du Roi, which will be blended together later. It is not impossible that one day the latter may even be bottled as a separate offering but not for the foreseeable future. The Renardes and Bressandes cuvée was tense and concentrated, even quite lean though it does have excellent persistence. The Clos du Roi component offers a dense deep purple colour with a much more classical Domaine de la Romanée-Conti nose. Richer and deeper with a vibrant purple fruit nose, a gorgeous sweetness of fruit, vivid and vibrant with an exceptional depth of black fruit. A fabulous finish!"
Tasted Nov 2019

VINOUS 92-94 points
The 2018 Corton Grand Cru contains fruit from plots of replanted vines for the first time this year, and also 80% whole bunches. Bertrand de Villaine told me that the blending was done a little later than their other crus. Matured in 100% new oak, it has an attractive bouquet of brambly red fruit, blueberry and scents of crushed stone, all nicely detailed. The palate is taut on the entry with an almost chalky texture and notes of bitter cherries and black currants. Fine symmetry toward the finish. Excellent. - Neal Martin