Vosne Romanée, Côte De Nuits
Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur
Richebourg Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2014
Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg 2014
This is my second time trying a Richebourg from the Gros family-previously, I’d tasted one from AF (Anne-Françoise Gros), and the first Frère et Sœur was a 2020 brought to a blind tasting. None of my friends guessed it correctly!
The 2020 showed ultra-fine tannins, bursting with floral aromas (violets and roses) after just an hour, and the perfume lingered for over four hours. If not for the blind bag, many would’ve mistaken it for a rising-star winemaker’s work.It had layers of plum, cherry, and a hint of Indian spices, with a subtle mineral note—something I didn’t find in this 2014.
Now, the 2014:
- Upon opening: Notes of cooked meat and blackcurrant (I wondered if temperature fluctuations during storage had affected it).
- After 2 hours of decanting: Secondary and tertiary aromas emerged—cinnamon, smoke, cedar, and cigar box, with only faint fruitiness. A stark contrast to the floral-dominated 2020, which I personally preferred.
I re-corked it and waited until dinner. At the 4-hour mark:
- The tannins turned silky-smooth.
- Flavors of red fruit, black pepper, and a touch of umami (mushroom and savory notes).
- Acidity:Well-balanced. The wine was cleanly made, though the aromatics faded slightly by then.
Overall, a very solid bottle, but next time, I’d love to compare it with a 1990s vintage to see how it ages! — 2 months ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Échézeaux Pinot Noir 2005
The Legendary 1990 and 2005 Vintages, and the 'Rouge' Aroma They Revealed!
I was meeting friends for a tasting, and I said I would bring a wine with a "rouge aroma" (*Yānzhī xiāng*). My friend also promised to open one with the same scent. If it's a cool vintage, a DRC might not reveal that distinctive rouge scent, but it's more common in warmer vintages, especially older ones from hot years. Of course, 2005 is a legendary vintage—it was warm but with significant diurnal temperature variation, resulting in balanced acidity and concentration, which also creates a very strong structure.
Thankfully, the 1990 Clos de Tart, despite having a very low fill level, wasn't spoiled. Its condition wasn't as potent as a previous bottle I had opened. This one took about 1.5 hours to fully open up in the glass. When it did, it revealed that signature Jiangnan "rouge" scent—very soft, enchanting, and feminine—along with some notes of dried longan. The fruit was balanced, though the acidity was relatively weak.
Today, I'll mainly write about this DRC. Its structure is incredibly powerful. For the first two hours, it was very closed. I believe this wine needed at least four hours of decanting, primarily because the 2005s, despite being a warm year, aren't that easy to open up. The aromas only started to slowly emerge around the third hour, and we were using large decanters and glasses, waiting for a long time. Initially, for the first half-hour after opening, there was a reductive note that was a bit funky. Later, after it opened up, the nose was primarily an interplay of cypress pine, violets, and that rouge scent intertwined. Honestly, this wine felt androgynous to me—it evokes an image of a knight and a princess playing in a forest. It wasn't overly soft, and its layers were incredibly complex.
On the palate, it was abundant: primarily black fruit, sour plum, sandalwood, coffee beans, a hint of dark chocolate, and a touch of earthy notes. The tannins weren't very soft—but then again, I'm so accustomed to drinking old wines. I feel this wine will need another 10 years to truly reach its peak. Its structure is exceptionally strong, unfolding layer by layer, with beautifully balanced acidity.
Comparing these two wines, their styles are completely different. One could say it's a contrast between an iconic Eastern beauty and a Western princess. I personally adore the soft and elegant style, but the 2005 is a wine with immense structure—it possesses a feminine power that is very potent, almost like the vision of a woman holding authority in a man's world.
Drinking such magnificent wines brings me great joy! — 7 days ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Richebourg Pinot Noir 2017
DRC Richebourg 2017: A fragrance untainted by the world～
The 2017 DRC Richebourg is a perfume explosion—a captivating interplay of woody clove and spice, both flamboyant and impeccably controlled. As we tasted, I asked my friends if they knew of a perfume that echoed this wine's aroma. They replied they had never come across one, but would purchase it without hesitation if they did. To my nose, the closest relative would be L'Artisan Parfumeur’s Dzongkha.
It offers that bracing, airy coolness with smoky, peppery spices, laced with the subtle sweet-herbaceous touch of magnolia and clove—reminiscent of the complex scent that washes over you the moment you push open the massive door of an ancient, solitary temple: the crisp, thin air of the high altitudes meeting the first ethereal wisp of incense smoke. Then unfolds layers of ancient wood, the dust of old books, musk, and earthy vetiver. The overall character is intensely crystalline, spiritual, and weightless—evoking visions of high plateaus and vast wilderness, of isolated lamaseries. Some DRCs also possess a temple-like quality, but theirs is a temple down here among us, bustling with devotees and heavy with the common smoke of popular devotion— a more earthly presence. — 5 days ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Grands Échézeaux Pinot Noir 1989
Really great clarity and color. Do beautiful and complex. Plum and anise and roses and an absolutely gorgeous detailed long finish. Stunning — 11 days ago
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Les Chaumes Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2013
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.
Light on the nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing red fruits with earth, light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, mushrooms, herbs and black pepper.
Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tart cranberries.
This 12 year old Pinot Noir from Burgundy is elegant and tangy.
Earthy, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.
Wine Advocate 92 points.
Starting to show some age, and doesn't feel young, but I feel it needs more time in the bottle. Would be nice to revisit it in 7 years.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
12.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$270. — 2 months ago
Mary H
Heady perfume of flowers and plush dark berries. On the palate, strawberries and dark berries. Oakiness in the base note. This wine has no business being this sexy. — 3 days ago