Domaine Romanee-Conti Richebourg 2005

• The ultimate combination of power and finesse.
• A truly great Pinot Noir year.
• Drinking window: 2020 to 2055.

This bottle has been stored in the same cellar since they were purchased from the importer.

Vineyard and vineyard management

Domaine Romanee Conti owns approximately 3.511 hectares of Richebourg, which corresponds to about half of the total Grand Crus. 1.2972 hectares are located in the southern terroir ‘les Richebourg’ and border Romanee and Romanee Conti. Another two parcels are located in the northern Les Richebourg and cover 1.2768 hectares. A further 0.937 hectares are located in the Climat ‘Les Verroilles’. Les Verroilles used to be a separate site and was only added to Richebourg in 1924. The Richebourg Grand Cru appellation was created in 1936. The rows of vines in Richebourg are oriented from west to east and offer more intense sunlight than the north-facing Les Verroilles. These are harvested about two days later, have slightly more acidity and minerality, but less power than Les Richebourg. With climate change and increasingly sunny years, the cooler character of Verroilles les Richebourg is becoming more similar. Romanee Conti's Richebourg has been cultivated biodynamically since 1986 and ploughed with horses to avoid soil compaction. Walking through the vineyards, it is striking how perfectly the vines are tended. Nowadays, however, this is no longer the prerogative of Domaine de la Romanee Conti. One might think that this is due to a new generation of quality-conscious winemakers, but it is equally important that almost all wineries have now reached the price level that was previously only known to Domaine de la Romaine Conti, and this allows for considerably more labour in the vineyards.

Today sorting tables are widely used in burgundy but in 1977, when Domaine de la Romanee Conti bought one, this was new in Burgundy. While Andre Noblet who formally retired in 1984 but worked until his death in 1985 only fermented whole undestemmed grapes, the regime under his son Bernard, who was cellar master until the beginning of 2018, was more flexible. The lighter years in the late 1970ies and early 80ies force a rethink as the stem influence gets too prominent gustatorily. Today in years of imperfect ripeness as in 2013 at least part of the harvest is destemmed. Before fermentation the grapes soak about five to six days at cool temperatures in open vats. This method was introduced to Burgundy by Henri Jayer in the early 70ies. Fermenting temperature is limited to 32 centigrade for reds. Fermentation lasts two to three weeks at the end of which the must is pressed once. To improve extractions of tannins and color the Domaine practices frequent - i.e. several times a day - punch downs of the cap but is careful with pumping over. At the end of fermentation chaptalization by one-degree alcohol may occur. Only new oak barrels are used for the Grands Crus. They are produced for the domaine from wood which has been dried for a very long time and is only slightly toasted. This leads to significantly improved oak integration in contrast to the days when new oak percentage was significantly less but there was a marked toasting which affected wine aromas for the first years after bottling. The time of elevage in barrel is 18 to 24 months which is long by today’s standards but less than half of what was common 100 years ago. Wines are never filtered but fined with egg white occasionally.

98+ Antonio Galloni vinous.com Black cherry, plum, mint, lavender and graphite give the 2005 much of its gravitas. Tonight, the 2005 is insanely beautiful and absolutely stellar ...

750 mL

13.0

Côtes de Nuits

Pinot noir

Sulphites

• Dry

France

Domaine de la Romanee Conti 1 Pl. de l'Église, 21700 Vosne-Romanée, Frankreich