Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Montrachet Grand Cru 2012

vinous95

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

A bit subdued at first, the 2012 Montrachet needs a little time in the glass before its explosive personality bursts forward. Dense, rich and exotic to the core, the 2012 is one of the more flamboyant Montrachets in recent memory, even though there was no botrytis that year, so the 2012 retains a good sense of freshness as well. There is a real sense of phenolic intensity in the 2012 that is impossible to miss, while the wine's richness is deftly balanced by enough acidity to keep things lively for such a big wine. The low yields of the vintage produced a concentrated, opulent Montrachet that will drink well for decades. Sadly, two hail storms and the severe selection that followed took with it about half of the normal production.