Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Richebourg Grand Cru 1995

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Reviewed by: Neal Martin

The 1995 Richebourg Grand Cru is a wine that I have not tasted for a few years, but it did not enthrall like the 1999 or have the easy-going charm of the 2007 Richebourg. There is some maturity showing on the brick-ish rim. The nose is forward and earthy with sage, dried orange peel and a touch of mint, though it feels a little more diffuse that I was expecting. The palate is balanced and quite savory, perhaps more than I was expecting. It is an enjoyable Richebourg, but it does not have the stamp of authority. I suspect there are better bottles than this, ergo my plus-sign next to a somewhat parsimonious score.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani

This wine is spectacular. Powerful, dense, meaty, and thick, it is exceedingly long and possesses a firm tannic backbone that requires cellaring. Projected maturity: 2005-2018. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661.

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Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Pale+ ruby colour with a brick rim. Earthy, savoury, meaty nose with notes of ceps, smoky bacon, kirsch and spiced blackberries at the core. The palate is firmly structured, masculine, with a high level of grainy tannins and medium to high acidity complimenting the savoury fruit. Very long, earthy finish. Needs a few more years to soften and open out some of those more delicate, latent flavours but promises to be an amazing wine.

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

This has a similar appearance to the 1996 but I prefer the nose on this: much more intense and delineated with wild strawberry, dried blood, a touch of oxtail and cherry. Very complex and involving. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with beautifully entwined new oak, with notes of cherry, raspberry and a touch of liquorice. Vigorous and quite powerful although just lacks a little punch on the finish. Perhaps this might develop in time? Still a great wine, although Leroy’s has a little more chutzpah. Drinking 2010-2030. Tasted November 2006.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

This has a super-ripe nose: cherry, blueberry. Great definition. A supple, rounded palate that has more in common with a Romanee-St.-Vivant with an attractive wild strawberry core. But as the wine sits in the glass, that solid backbone becomes increasingly apparent. Well-balanced with good length. Personally I preferred the Grands Echezeaux 95, that seemed to have more finesse. Tasted February 1998.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani

Medium-to-dark ruby-colored and possessing aromas of jammy red and black fruits, mocha and sweet oak, the Richebourg explodes with a full-bodied, thick-textured mouthful of fabulously ripe dark berries, wild cherries, blueberries, round tannins and persistent length. Projected maturity: 2003-2014. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided. Drc wines are not subjected to any filtration or fining and undergo only one racking. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661.