The 2014 La Romanée is a wine of almost raw intensity that is going to need a good 15+ years in bottle before it is at the very early part of its maturity. A huge core of primary fruit announces the 2014, a wine that is likely to thrill those lucky enough to own it for several decades. The 2014 is super-impressive, even at this early stage.

Dark red, not ruby. Great meaty complexity to the vibrant aromas of raspberry, mocha, spices and chocolate. Sappy, smooth, wonderfully vinous and deep, displaying strong saline minerality and great class. This shows a similar style to the Reignots but here the wine's fruit is farther in the background. This will eventually make a great bottle but I can easily see it going through a sullen stage on the way to its apogee.

Monopole. Light purplish crimson. Pale rim. Spicy nose. Still lots to come. Nasal decongestant of a wine! Sweet and big and round – very delicate balance. Very tense and dense but with nerviness too. Firm and exciting. (JR)