As one would reasonably expect, this is notably more elegant with a pure, delicate and layered nose of floral notes, in particular rose and violet, along with clove, anise and sandalwood nuances that gracefully introduce rich, forward and generous flavors that retain a wonderful sense of tension, detail and refinement on the precise, textured and focused finish that offers tremendous length. For all its considerable attributes however, this remains an understated wine of harmony, grace and impeccable balance. A stunner of a wine. Drink: 2026+
-Allen Meadows, burghound.com issue 41. Tasted: Jan 01, 2011

Good medium red. Captivating nose combines red and darker berries, smoky earth, cocoa powder, violet and sandalwood, displaying an element of lift currently missing in the Grands-Echezeaux. sweet, silky and concentrated on the suave, saline palate; consistent from start to finish. Really spreads out to dust every square millimeter of the mouth. Finishes very long and subtle, with a compelling spicy perfume. A superb showing.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 30/09/2011

The 2008 Romanee St. Vivant is pure seduction. The aromatics alone are breathtaking, but the RSV is truly firing on all cylinders. Curiously, today the RSV is quite a bit rounder and suppler than the Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux. It shows remarkable silkiness, inner perfume and nobility. A seamless finish rounds things out in style. My instincts tell me this will firm up in bottle, but frankly I am a bit mystified that hasn’t happened yet. Today, this doesn’t look like a super long-term ager within the context of the domaine’s very finest wines. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028.

The 2008 Romanee St. Vivant is pure seduction. The aromatics alone are breathtaking, but the RSV is truly firing on all cylinders. Curiously, today the RSV is quite a bit rounder and suppler than the Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux. It shows remarkable silkiness, inner perfume and nobility. A seamless finish rounds things out in style. My instincts tell me this will firm up in bottle, but frankly I am a bit mystified that hasn’t happened yet. Today, this doesn’t look like a super long-term ager within the context of the domaine’s very finest wines. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. tasted the 2008s in bottle in late June 2011 after having gone through the 2010s from barrel. Aubert de Villaine describes 2008 as a difficult vintage with a lot of rain. Botrytis was an issue and the vineyards required constant attention. On September 14 the weather changed dramatically. A steady north wind dried out the grapes and concentrated sugars quickly, which also reduced the size of the berries. A further selection of fruit lowered yields to an even greater extent, resulting in overall production that is as much as 50% lower than normal for the Domaine. As for the wines, they are magnificent in my view, but will require considerable patience. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

The 2008 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru has a beautiful bouquet with a slight Asian twist, wild mushroom (morels) and rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bead of acidity, white pepper, crushed rock and a touch of tobacco. Very long in the mouth. This oozes class, puts the Echézeaux in its place, and you can see it continuing to unfurl after 15-20 minutes.

Pale cherry red. Plenty of peppery spice initially but also finely floral. Perfumed red fruit then emerges from under the spice, sweet, even a hint of vanilla. A little bit exotic but in a fresh, light way. Like the Grands Échezeaux, the power and intensity on the palate comes as a surprise after the delicacy of the nose. Much more savoury, moreish, tautly mouthwatering. Firm but grainless tannins. Dry finish that cries out for the next sip to try to plumb the wine’s depths. But the tiny tasting sample is all gone. Always so tantalising. (JH)