Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Corton Grand Cru 2016

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 2016 Corton Grand Cru is matured in much higher percentage of new oak than previous vintages because of more mature vines. (The maiden 2009 Corton was matured entirely in new oak with 100% whole cluster, reduced to 50% over the years.) Now that the Corton is “part of the family,” it is treated similar to the other wines from the domaine. The bouquet is well defined with beautiful stem addition—very fresh with blackberry, briary and shucked oyster shell. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannin. Here, we find black rather than red fruit, black truffle and loam; indeed, the finish is tertiary in style but beautifully defined with long sustainability.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: William Kelley

Surpassing the 2015 rendition, the 2016 Corton Grand Cru is the finest wine that the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has produced to date from the holdings of Prince Florent de Mérode. Wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, currant leaf, raspberries and menthol, discretely framed by new wood, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and intense, gaining in depth and dimension as it sits in the glass, with tangy underpinning acids and powdery tannins, culminating in a long finish. Aubert de Villaine recounted that the Domaine replanted a third of Corton-Bressandes while also grafting over the Mérodes' young vines to their own massal selections of Pinot Fin. While this is built for four decade's evolution in the cellar, the balance and concentration are such that it could be drunk with pleasure in its youth.

vinous93

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

The 2016 Corton Grand Cru was picked on September 22 at 22hL/ha. It has an attractive and quite effervescent bouquet of red cherry, cranberry and light iron filing aromas that are beautifully defined. There is real class and sophistication here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and well-judged acidity, but perhaps does not quite deliver the grip and density of very best Cortons that the domaine has made since 2009. This is more tensile and poised, lightly spiced with white pepper and earthy notes toward the finish and bitter cherry on the aftertaste. The finish conjures the image of someone looking around a room and wondering where it is, in the sense that it just wanders a little. It could be just a phase, and if so, this will merit a higher score. 420 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in-bottle tasting in London.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Surpassing the 2015 rendition, the 2016 Corton Grand Cru is the finest wine that the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has produced to date from the holdings of Prince Florent de Mérode. Wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, currant leaf, raspberries and menthol, discretely framed by new wood, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and intense, gaining in depth and dimension as it sits in the glass, with tangy underpinning acids and powdery tannins, culminating in a long finish. Aubert de Villaine recounted that the Domaine replanted a third of Corton-Bressandes while also grafting over the Mérodes' young vines to their own massal selections of Pinot Fin. While this is built for four decade's evolution in the cellar, the balance and concentration are such that it could be drunk with pleasure in its youth.