Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
2014
La Tâche
Grand Cru Red 750 ml
Score: 96
Tasted: Jan 15, 2017
Drink: 2034+
Issue: 65
Producer note: Co-director Aubert de Villaine described the 2015 growing season as "one that was mostly hot and dry yet also one that never went to extremes. The dryness had already begun in the Spring yet along the way there was just enough rain at the right moments to avoid undue hydric stress. The vines benefited from an extremely rapid and precocious June flowering which is always highly beneficial as it allows for uniform ripeness levels throughout each bunch. Despite the presence of the north wind there was almost no shatter and even less in the way of shot berries. July was hotter and drier still and particularly so during the period between the 2nd and 8th where temperatures routinely exceeded 30° C. Some parcels shut down the photosynthetic process for a few days but would then restart and even with this we saw the first signs of véraison in Romanée-Conti and Corton on the 27th. The mid-point of the véraison was reported by the 9th of August which indicated that the harvest would begin in the first 10 days of September. Overall the growing season was really quite relaxed compared to the last few that we have experienced and other than an attack of oidium, it was tranquil. We began the harvest on the 4th of September in Montrachet followed by the Hill of Corton on the 5th and then preceded with: La Tâche on the 7th, 8th; Romanée-Conti on the 10th; Richebourg on the 8th and 9th; Romanée St. Vivant on the 9th, 10th and 11th; Grands Echézeaux on the 11th and 12th and finally the Echézeaux on the 12th and 14th. There was a storm on the 12th but at that point we were almost finished and we finally terminated the harvest on the 14th. There was almost no sorting required as the fruit was exceptionally clean with excellent maturity levels and perhaps just as importantly the ripeness levels were uniform. The skins were thick and there was a very high incidence of tiny berries that just added to the density of the musts. Quantities were good but not high as they ranged from a low of 22 hl/ha for the Corton and Romanée-Conti to a high of 30 hl/ha for the Grands Echézeaux and Montrachet. We vinified with 100% whole clusters and had no difficulties to speak of during the long cuvaison of between 21 and 23 days. As to the wines, it's obviously extremely early but I can say that they are extremely promising. They are at once supple and dense and there is absolutely no trace of surmaturité as was the case in say 2003. They are also exceptionally rich and opulent and I very much like the balance and terroir transparency that should enable all of the wines to age for decades." As the scores and commentaries confirm, the Domaine's 2015s are magnificent and should rank among the very best vintages here made in the 21st C. While we were tasting I remarked to M. de Villaine that the Romanée-Conti seemed to transcend even its typical remarkable quality and he responded by saying that "it is perhaps the best Romanée-Conti that we have made in a very long time." However, as terrific as the 2015s are, I underscore that the 2014s are almost as good and I was particularly impressed by the quality of the Ech and the Grands Ech as they are exceptional, even relative to their normal excellence. De Villaine also noted that as was the case in 2012, 2013 and 2014, there will be no Vosne "1er" cuvée Duvault-Blochet in 2015; lastly, the 2014s revisited below, were bottled between February and April 2016. (Wilson & Daniels, www.wilsondaniels.com, St. Helena, CA; John Armit Wines, www.armit.co.uk, Berry Brothers & Rudd, www.bbr.com, Corney & Barrow, www.corneyandbarrow.com, Justerini & Brooks, www.justerinis.com and Planet Wines, www.planetofwine.com, all UK).
Tasting note: Fireworks in a glass would be the operative description of the super-fresh nose of the 2014 La Tâche and while it's not necessarily spicier or more floral than the Riche, there is a broader range of elements present and in particular better overall aromatic depth along with more red fruits than dark. The imposingly powerful and tautly muscular flavors possess outstanding mid-palate density while simultaneously offering excellent delineation on the intensely mineral-infused, youthfully austere and very firmly structured finish that just goes on and on. While I suspect that this will drink reasonably well after only 15 to 18 years of bottle age note well that if you want to drink it when fully mature it will require in the range of 20 to 25 years of cellaring.