2008 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vosne-Romanée “Cuvee Duvault Blochet” Premier Cru Red Burgundy, France.
The exceptionally rare Domaine de la Romanee-Conti “Cuvée Duvault-Blochet” Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru Red Burgundy, named after the 19th-century founder of the domaine, Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blocher, is crafted from declassified 100% Grand Cru fruit from their top sites and only done in remarkable vintages, most notably in recent times like the 1999 and this 2008. In some years this cuvee was made from young vines, often rumored to be exclusively from the fabled La Tache site, though DRC has always been cagey about its sources for “Cuvee Duvault Blochet” Premier Cru. I have been blessed with the experience of having tried every bottling of DRC’s Grand Crus, except the Corton offerings, getting to try La Tache, Romanee Saint Vivant, Echezeaux and Richebourg from more than one vintage, though only had the holy grail Romanee-Conti once and the Cuvée Duvault-Blochet now once. The 2008 is outrageously good and a thrilling surprise, in that, it is full developed and rewarding, even without decanting and or air this was spectacular Pinot Noir that was perfumed, wonderfully textured, vivid and showed incredible depth leaning on dark fruit in the profile. If anyone reading this review has some of this stuff, they are very lucky to say the least as it has now entered a window of excellence that will or should please any Burgundy lover.
Made from a second picking from all of the domaine’s vineyards except Romanée-Conti, according to the winery, the wine is labeled Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru, though as mentioned it is all Grand Cru and in my limited knowledge and experience, again as noted, I find this Cuvée Duvault-Blochet more expressive rather than severely structural making me think more of La Tache and Grands Echezeaux instead of the greener and firmer elements of young Richebourg, which I feel need more time to come around. Though I shouldn’t read too much into things as the riper pick may change that opinion, I also must say, I first tasted this bottle without knowing what it was, in a blind flight, and there was an immediate palate response that this was truly something regal and noteworthy, without question this wine was a great wine, its pedigree was on total display! Led by gorgeous and vivacious dark fruits and crushed violets with only a hint of smoke, earth and spice with blackberry, mulberry, black cherry and currant fruits as well as a dusting of Asian spices, mineral tones, snappy and minty herbs, this wine’s tannins are a notably supple, making it textural and fleshy, but still very poised and with enough firmness to let you know it was from powerful sources. Sadly almost none of this is still available and it is wildly unaffordable even if you were to locate it, but that all said, it is utterly jaw dropping good with a decent length (of life) ahead of it.
($1,800 Est.) 95 Points, grapelive
Side Note: People ask why I would review a wine that is so expensive and almost impossible to get? Well it provides the reference point to highlight just how great other wines are and we should never deny beauty and greatness even in things we can never have ourselves. This wine serves those goals and I am forever curious of wine in all its forms.