eRobertParker.com April, 2012

The 2009 Grands-Echezeaux jumps from the glass with vivid aromatics and equally voluptuous fruit. Despite its richness, the Grands-Echezeaux seems to hover on the palate. Layers of fruit continue to build to the long super-refined finish. Over the last few years the Grands-Echezeaux seems like the most improved wine at DRC. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.

()

A gorgeously spicy nose features aromas of black cherry, plum and soft mocha that complements well the ripe, supple and clearly very vibrant middle weight plus flavors that are overtly muscular but not rustic and culminate in a superbly complex and palate staining finish. This is almost always a very substantial wine but it is huge in 2009 and I think that it's safe to observe that the '09 GE is impressive as hell, even relative to a wine that makes achieving reference standard quality look commonplace. Drink: 2034+
-Allen Meadows, Burghound.com, Issue 45. Tasted: Jan 10, 2012

The 2009 Grands-Echezeaux jumps from the glass with vivid aromatics and equally voluptuous fruit. Despite its richness, the Grands-Echezeaux seems to hover on the palate. Layers of fruit continue to build to the long super-refined finish. Over the last few years the Grands-Echezeaux seems like the most improved wine at DRC. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s 2009s have turned out just as brilliantly as I had hoped. The wines reflect the signature qualities of the year, but never lose their essential classicism. Long-time DRC fans know the domaine bottles in six-barrel lots, which naturally introduces a level of bottle variation that is not found in most other wines. I hope the massive amount of information that has recently come to light regarding counterfeit wines and their proliferation might be the catalyst for the domaine to consider bottling their wines in one homogenous lot, as is common for the vast majority of high-quality wines throughout the world. Once the domaine’s wines mature in 20-30 years it will be impossible to tell the difference between ‘normal’ bottle variation, poorly stored bottles and very good fakes. Certainly consumers who are willing and able to pay the prices these wines fetch are at the very least deserving of a consistent product. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Tasted out of barrel at the Domaine. The ’09 Grands Echezeaux appears very promising. Subtle red cherries and redcurrant on the nose entwined with a touch of Japanese yuzu and later, a puff of smoke. The palate is very elegant and refined with fine tannins, a Grands Echezeaux that does not overwhelm with its power, but seems to shimmer from start to finish. Just a little disjointed towards the finish at the moment, but this be rectified by next year. Tasted November 2010.

Good full red. Tangy but slightly reduced aromas of black raspberry and violet. Juicy, bright and tight, with a serious structure beneath its reticent dark fruit, spice and pepper flavors. A bit youthfully disjointed today but sharply delineated and not at all sloppy.