Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 29/08/2005

Perhaps the biggest Romanee-St.-Vivant produced at this domaine, the 2003 offers aromatics as well as flavors reminiscent of black fruits drenched in dark chocolate. Full-bodied, velvety-textured, as well as concentrated, it is immensely ripe, crammed with tannin, and vaunts an amazingly long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018. ()

Perhaps the biggest Romanee-St.-Vivant produced at this domaine, the 2003 offers aromatics as well as flavors reminiscent of black fruits drenched in dark chocolate. Full-bodied, velvety-textured, as well as concentrated, it is immensely ripe, crammed with tannin, and vaunts an amazingly long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

The 2003 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is a wine that I have not tasted since release. It acquits itself supremely well. Slightly deeper in hue than expected, it has a vibrant nose that brushes aside the notorious heat of that summer. Red fruit, candied orange peel, crushed stone and bay leaf are delineated and focused. The palate has excellent balance and tension. Quite finely-chiseled tannins lend this RSV a sense of symmetry, with tart sour cherries adding tension and vibrancy on the finish. Exquisite.

In contrast to the aromatic explosiveness of the Grands Ech, this is a good deal more reserved but much more elegant with floral and subtle spice notes adding nuance to the upper register ripe black fruit aromas that are clearly pinot in basic character. The flavors aren't as big or muscular as the Grands but there is better precision, elegance and purity here with strikingly complex and refined flavors that are supple on the mid-palate but quite firm on the finish. There is the barest trace of warmth but it's a background note and this is superbly classy juice. The '01 RSV laid to rest the now dated notion that this wine isn't at the same level as the rest of the range here and this hammers home the point with authority. A great wine of enormous class and style and it is perhaps the freshest wine in the range in 2003.

Very good deep red-ruby. Very ripe aromas of raspberry, earth, Oriental spices, truffle and smoke; shows a slight suggestion of surmaturite but at the same time is perked up by a suggestion of menthol. Then sweet and supple, with very good definition and a light touch for 2003. Finishes with big tannins and impressive density and length.

Absolutely staggering to be offered a fourth pour of this stunning wine at last November's fundraising dinner in aid of Marie Curie at Vintners' Hall! This was Adam Brett-Smith of Corney & Barrow's last year as chairman of the committee and he was clearly determined to go out with a bang. C&B represent DRC and he managed to prevail upon Aubert de Villaine to be quite extremely generous. Introducing the wine, Aubert explained that the vines in this heatwave vintage were extremely resilient. The fruit was almost prune-like which faded as the wine settled into the glass. Then the terroir started to assert itself. This was a truly gorgeous wine, which may or may not have been rather sweeter than usual. Tip top. Vibrant. At the top of its game. It probably evolved slightly faster than some other vintages. (JR)