($3120) Good red-ruby. Knockout nose of black raspberry, tobacco and flowers; vibrant for 2003. Then dense, creamy and seamless yet almost shockingly vibrant, with outstanding balance and an impression of firm acids. In fact, this is the highest in acidity of these 2003s, with a pH of 3.5 (the rest are between 3.6 and 3.65, according to Villaine). The mounting finish goes on and on. Great wine, perhaps monumental.

A limpid ruby colour. A very striking expressive nose, much more extroverted than La Tache. Wonderful delineation. Cherry, pomegranate at first, then a touch of leather and dried blood. So lifted and perfumed. Still intensifying after five minutes in glass, the fruit elements coming through. Beautifully knit on the palate. Again a little more supple on the palate because of the vintage. Wild strawberry dominating the mid-palate, morello cherry, more fruit-driven that the La Tache but still very tight. Very harmonious on the supple finish. Understated on the finish. Just a gorgeous Pinot Noir. (298 cases produced) Tasted February 2006.

Plums, blackberries, dark cherries, spices, and chocolate emerge from the rich aromas of the 2003 Romanee-Conti. A penetrating, medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine, it possesses, according to Aubert de Villaine, the estate’s co-director, the highest level of natural acidity (closely followed by the Richebourg) of the domaine’s 2003s. An enormously structured (verging on firm) effort, it offers cassis liqueur, spice, black cherry, and plum flavors. Its finish, marked by solid tannin, is impressively persistent. Projected maturity: 2014-2030+. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 29/08/2005 Plums, blackberries, dark cherries, spices, and chocolate emerge from the rich aromas of the 2003 Romanee-Conti. A penetrating, medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine, it possesses, according to Aubert de Villaine, the estate’s co-director, the highest level of natural acidity (closely followed by the Richebourg) of the domaine’s 2003s. An enormously structured (verging on firm) effort, it offers cassis liqueur, spice, black cherry, and plum flavors. Its finish, marked by solid tannin, is impressively persistent. Projected maturity: 2014-2030+. ()

Bright crimson. Extraordinarily opulent, open nose. Very very rich and ripe and absolutely on the borderline of overripe flavours but hugely enjoyable. Slightly brûlée and lots of fine tannins underneath. Quite marked acidity too – the first of these wines to show acidity. Dangerous dramatic stuff that perhaps expresses the vintage more than the Tâche. All upfront with a little bit of astringence and coffee dregs on the finish. Very very different in style from La Tâche – arguably less complete. (JR)