Wine Advisor
Domaine de L'Arlot, Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Romanée St. Vivant is a showstopper. Dark, powerful and inward, the wine gradually emerges from its shell to reveal a gorgeous core of fruit. This is an especially opulent, intense St. Vivant built on fruit more than aromatics. It will require considerable patience, but is shaping up to be a jewel. Leriche used 100% whole clusters here.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Romanee St. Vivant has no beginning and no end. It just exists in the glass as a monument to the greatness of Burgundy. I could describe the aromas and flavors. There is plenty of dark fruit, mocha and exotic spices, but that would be a total disservice to the wine. The Romanee St. Vivant impresses for its weightless power and massive structure. It is not a seductive, floral Romanee St. Vivant. Readers can find that elsewhere. This is a wine that impresses for its depth, structure and sheer intensity. It is very Richebourg-like in many ways. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2044. I was blown away by Domaine de l’Arlot’s 2009s when I tasted them from bottle. Most of the wines came in at the high end or above my projected scores from barrel. I found a purity and frankness in these wines that was compelling. Various American importers, including: A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA; tel. (781) 278-2000; Triage Wines Inc., Seattle, WA; tel. (503) 236-6262; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Ansonia Wines, Washington D.C.; tel. (202) 506-4215; USA Wine Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 941-7133
About the Producer
Domaine d'Arlot is a new winery founded in 1987, but it has a long history of vineyards and owns three exclusive plots (a monopole, which means that a vineyard is the exclusive property of a single winery or winemaker): Clos du Chapeau, Clos de l'Arlot, Clos des Forets St Georges. 'Arlot, and Clos des Forets St Georges. In 1991, a small plot of Romanee St. Vivant was bought, and the following year a plot of Vosne Romanee Les Suchots was bought, bringing the vineyard to 14 hectares. The Domaine d'Arlot is one of the few exceptions to the rule of grandeur in Bourgogne. Around the end of the eighteenth century, Jean Charles Vienot, the owner of the place, built a stone wall around the vineyard, and the vineyard was named Domaine de l'Arlot. The Domaine de l'Arlot began to use organic farming methods in 2000 and was certified in 2014. The vineyards have been rebalanced and rejuvenated to produce healthier and riper grapes. The philosophy of the winery is: the less intervention the better. The grapes are hand-harvested, selected twice, only the best grapes are used, natural yeasts are used for fermentation, and the lees are pressed by hand, without using pumps as much as possible, to reflect the "terroir" of each field and lot, and to give the wine its personality.
