Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 30/04/2012

The 2009 Romanee-Conti is surprisingly huge and even obvious in this vintage. That isn’t a problem, just an observation. Romanee-Conti can be an elusive, intensely cerebral wine, but not in 2009. Floral notes add lift on the vivid, kaleidoscopic finish. Today the Romanee-Conti is all about breathtaking exuberance and richness. This is a breathtaking bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2029-2059.

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

After the reduction present on the nose of the LT, I was worried that the RC might be reduced as well but I was in luck because even though (as is often the case), the nose was restrained, the word brilliant doesn't begin to capture just how marvelous it is. It's a fool's errand to try and capture all of the various nuances but a few of the major components would include dried rose petal, hoisin, clove, anise and cassis that merge seamlessly into regal, pure and gorgeously intense middle weight flavors that possess seemingly limitless reserves of dry extract that almost completely hide the perfectly integrated tannins on the firm, mineral-driven and linear finish. This possesses such a spectacular nose that you don't even have to drink it to be thrilled and the flavors are perfectly spherical. This may well be the wine of the vintage because wine does not get much, if any, better. If you can somehow justify the scratch required, don't miss it. (97-100)/2031+
-Allen Meadows, Burghound.com, Issue 41. Tasted: Jan 01, 2011