Domaine de la Romanée Conti is co-owned by the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families, the former successors to Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet who bought the vineyard of La Romanée Conti in 1869, the latter since acquiring the shares of other descendants of Duvault-Blochet in 1942. The Domaine is today run by Aubert de Villaine and Henri-Frederic Roch. Many people in Burgundy just refer to ‘DRC’ as “the Domaine”.
The domaine has 30 hectares of vineyards, all Grand Crus. As well as the the 1.8 hectare monopole La Romanée Conti, the Domaine purchased its other monopoly, La Tâche, in 1933, along with significant holdings in the grand crus of Richebourg, Romanée St Vivant, Grands-Echezeaux, Echezeaux, and Le Montrachet at various points in the 19th and 20th centuries. Corton was added in 2009 with Corton-Charlemagne to be released in 2018. The Domaine is the largest owners of each of the red wine grand crus.
95 Points Allen Meadows
Here too there is a touch of oak toast surrounding the notably ripe but markedly restrained aromas of black cherry liqueur, violet, lavender, exotic tea and sandalwood. The rich, full-bodied and muscular flavors also brim with sappy dry extract that possess a seductive mouthfeel before culminating in a hugely long finish. Like the Echézeaux, this is a big, bold and robust effort that should develop gradually over the next 25 to 30 years. This contrast of power and refinement is potentially one of the greatest Grands Echézeaux the Domaine has produced in the 21st C though the 2019 will be a worthy rival.
97 Points Jasper Morris
The purple colour is even more concentrated here. Heady, densely wound fruit, a greater suppleness than the Echezeaux, more flesh on the bones, sumptuous dense black fruit notes, brought back to base camp by the freshness of the finish. The lightest dusting of cocoa powder which was less evident on the Echezeaux. The pinpoint pricks of fresh mineral acidity do this wine a world of good. Perfect harmony!