Please see the following Romanee Conti & La Tache selection, all offered at the very best prices in the market. Available ex-LCB Tilbury (lead times below). Most stocks are offered ex-UK agent, purchased en primeur. *We do not offer US, Canadian or Australian slip labels, or stocks of questionable provenance and sources.
For all enquiries please contact david@corkingwines.co.uk Photos available for most stocks.
1 case – 6/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 1996 @ £29,995 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £32,995++) now – photos attached – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
Fantastically pure with the classic spice box, hoisin and soy nose followed by big, rich, very structured flavors that display notes of earth, leather and tea. The tannins are big, ripe and are completely buffered by the sap with length that is simply phenomenal. This remains completely primary in character and seems not to have budged at all since it was bottled. A genuinely great vintage for La Tâche that is softer in the mouth than the '96 Grands Ech and this should improve for another decade and last for 50 years. Very classy juice. Note: while it's happened only twice in my experience, the '96 can be intensely vegetal on the nose and not exhibit the purity that the wine is justifiably famous for; however, I have tasted so many outstanding bottles of the '96 LT that I view these two examples as outliers.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2012, 2016+
1 case – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 1997 @ £11,995 per 3 IB & OWC6 (Lowest Wine Searcher £14,495++) now – photos available – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – 3 bottles in original OWC6
Very floral and nicely spicy with elegant, relatively fine flavors that display solid intensity though less body and sappiness than the '98. There is very good supporting acidity which tends to highlight the lighter but nicely focused, medium weight flavors.
90 points Allen Meadows, Burghound (1/2008)
2 cases – 6/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 1999 @ £48,995 per 6 IB & OWC (SIB) now – photos attached - bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
Parcel £46,995
Words remain inadequate to describe just how good this wine is as the '99 is a classic La Tâche in every respect with its incredibly pure, marvelously intense Asian spice box nose. There is terrific size, weight and richness to the enveloping flavors of hoisin and pure pinot extract that deliver indescribable complexity on the hugely long finish. The big tannins are completely wrapped in velvet and while they are by no means invisible, they are beautifully well-integrated, indeed the word seamless comes to mind. This is almost certainly destined to become one of the all-time great vintages of La Tâche. Moreover, among the many bottles that I have been blessed to have tried, I have never had one that was anything less than sensational. However, note well that the '99 LT is going to be a long-distance runner so a strategy of cellar and forget is strongly advised, at least for the next decade or so. Multiple, and consistent, notes.
99 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Apr 2017, 2024+
The 1999 La Tâche Grand Cru can be a perfect wine. This was very similar to the bottle opened in 2015. The bouquet sends you straight to heaven with so much purity and detail that frankly it is difficult to put into words. Fleeting glimpses of redcurrant, then pomegranate, broom and wilted rose petals, later more earthy scents, autumnal. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, a symmetry that is utterly entrancing and precision second to none. Hints of black plum and blood orange, that mineralité returning towards a finish so tensile you risk cutting yourself.
100 points Neal Martin, Vinous (4/2018)
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2002 @ £58,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
Just as the Grands-Echézeaux displayed another dimension relative to the Echézeaux, so it is that the Romanée-Conti does so with the La Tâche, at least this vintage. The nose cannot begin to match the utterly seductive expressiveness of the La Tâche but then again, it never does at this stage, revealing a superbly detailed nose of dried rose petals, kirsch and plenty of spice of its own. However, the taut, focused, very backward, powerful and very punchy flavors are more discreet with seriously impressive detail and layer after layer of sappy extract and incredible depth. This too is impeccably balanced and there is the same tenderness here, sophisticated and quite fine tannins that one sees throughout this range of 2002s. As with all great vintages of Romanée-Conti, what ultimately separates it from La Tâche is the almost spiritual sense of harmony. Yes, the balance is perfect but there's just something else here that makes La Romanée-Conti a more complete wine.
97 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2005, 2020+
1 case – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2006 @ £12,495 per 3 IB & re-packed carton now – photos available – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – Sequential numbers – split 6
1 case – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2006 @ £14,195 per 3 IB & OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
(with thanks to Dr. Reed Day and Herwig Janssen). At 13 years of age, the once reserved nose is starting to come out of its shell as there is plenty of the hallmark spice and floral components of a classic LT. The big and generous flavors are an exercise in contrasts as they are at once round and rich while remaining wonderfully defined and precise with an intense minerality coming to the fore, all wrapped in a linear, palate staining and explosive finish. Even though this is still very much on the way up, the palate impression is entirely harmonious and the transparency and purity of expression are something to experience. In a word, magnificent and for my taste, I would continue to cellar this for up to another decade before starting to enjoy the '06 LT from time to time.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2019, 2026+
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2008 @ £13,495 per 3 IB & OWC (SIB) now – photos attached - bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
This takes a while to get going because like the Richebourg, this is initially reduced so you'll need to decant it if you're going to sacrifice a young wine on the altar of curiosity. After aggressive swirling, a highly expressive and kaleidoscopic nose offers up a dazzling breadth of aromas with more rose petal and violet notes combining with those of kirsch, herb and humus, all of which are reflected by the ripe, pure and extremely fresh silkily-textured big-bodied flavors that possess firm tannins that are completely enrobed by the impressive amount of extract that also coats the mouth on the hugely long and ever-so-slightly minty finish. The '08 La Tâche is not an especially powerful wine by its standards and it's more like a gymnast with its sleek muscularity. That said and again like the Richebourg, all of the structural elements are not yet in perfect balance but the sheer length of the finish is immense, which is always a very positive sign.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2011, 2030+
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2009 @ £59,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – photos attached
2009 La Romanée-Conti: As is often the case with this wine when it is young, the nose is almost always very restrained but even so 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 petals, 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, overtly austere 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. I would also note that I’m not much on using plus signs with a scoring hierarchy that is already implausibly precise yet I do so here to indicate that I have the smallest of preferences for the ’09 Romanée-Conti vis-à-vis the La Tâche. Yes, it would perhaps be just as easy to assign the next highest number rather than adding the plus but this would imply that the ’09 RC is as good as the ’90, ’99 or ’05 versions, which even as spectacular as it is, I do not believe that it can quite match those efforts. Hence why I used the plus, just in case you may have wondered.
98+ points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2034+
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2010 @ £18,695 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £22,500++) now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
2010 La Tâche: This is perhaps even more floral than the Richebourg and every bit as spicy on the ultra-pure, cool and remarkably elegant mix of red and blue pinot fruit, red currant and wild red berries that are openly mineral-inflected. As with all of the DRC ‘10s, the equally stony flavors and supporting tannins are extremely fine and while there is ample power and vibrancy, the palate feel is all silk and satin. To be sure, this is a big wine with impressive concentration but this is definitely not cut from the same cloth as say the 2005 or 2009 versions are. I can admire both styles but this one is seriously lovely. Readers should note however that while the 2010 LT is exceptionally fine it will still require some 20 to 25 years of cellar time before it reaches its full majority but when it does, it will be considered one of the all-time great vintages for this incredibly storied wine. If your pocketbook can stand the damage, this is an absolute ‘do no miss under any circumstances’ wine.
98 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2030+
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2011 @ £12,695 per 3 IB & OWC (SIB) now – photo attached – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
1 case – 1/150cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2011 @ £9,795 per 1 MAGNUM IB & BANDED OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
2011 La Tâche: As it was from cask this is more restrained than usual and it requires aggressive swirling to coax the pure and spicy essence of red berry fruit aromas to emerge from the glass where there is a slight hint of herbal tea present. There is a similar reserve to the distinctly focused and linear flavors that enjoy a seemingly unlimited reserve of dry extract that renders the fine-grained and silky tannins almost invisible at present though I suspect that they will become much more apparent once the baby fat melts away. There is superb complexity and fantastic length and this mineral-driven effort should be capable of drinking well after only 12 years or so of bottle age but require a solid 20 before it’s completely mature. While La Tâche is almost by definition a superbly elegant wine there is also always an inner core of muscle. In 2011 it seems to have more of the former and a bit less of the latter, indeed this may the first vintage in quite a while where it is ready before the Richebourg.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound/2029+
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2011 @ £51,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC (SIB) (Lowest Wine Searcher £56,995-£60,000++) now – photo attached – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – 473 cases
Discreet wood sets off a wonderfully elegant, airy and ultra-pure dark Pinot fruit nose that is perhaps even more reticent and shut down than the La Tâche and only seriously aggressive swirling can reveal stubborn notes of rose petal, spice and menthol influence. The ultra-silky but firm medium-scaled flavors are also blessed with an impressive abundance of dry extract that buffers the prominent but ripe supporting tannins on the moderately austere, deep and palate coating finish. The length here is genuinely amazing, indeed even at this early juncture this is already the longest wine in the range. As it virtually always is at this point in its development, this is an exercise in understatement, poise and controlled power with an unrivaled purity of expression. In sum, this is Zen-like. As to whether it will ultimately be better than the La Tâche in 2011 remains to be seen but for now the two seem to be neck and neck from a purely qualitative perspective.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound (1/2014)
1 case – 1/150cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2012 @ £11,495 per 1 MAGNUM IB & BANDED OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £12,995++) now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian - photo attached
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2012 @ £14,495 per 3 IB & BANDED OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – photo available
2012 La Tâche: Though this is by no means exuberant, it’s clear that there is good ripeness to the spiced green tea, hoisin, soy, anise, sandalwood and rose petal aromas. The cool, pure and seductively textured medium weight plus flavors brim with
both minerality and plenty of dry extract that buffers the extremely firm but not hard shaping tannins on the overtly austere if seriously persistent finish. This is perhaps best described as a block of stone at present and while the tannins are quite fine they are dense and coat the mouth. This is clearly going to need a lot of time and unlike several of the wines in the range, it’s not likely to be a good candidate for early drinking. Despite the presence of plenty of volume and muscle, I would still describe 2012 as a vintage of finesse for this storied wine. In a word, brilliant.
97 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2034+
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2012 @ £54,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC (SIB) (Lowest Wine Searcher £62,995-£66,000++) now – photo attached – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – 350 cases
The surprisingly expressive nose is almost completely dominated by various floral aromas that include violets, lavender and rose petal. There is of course a broad array of spice elements to the red and black currant aromas but they are nuances compared to the floral characters. The wonderfully intense and concentrated middle weight plus flavors possess arguably even more dry extract that, for the moment anyway, pushes the firm tannic spine completely to the background and as such the mouth feel is incredibly rich and opulent. While Romanée-Conti is almost always astonishingly complex it is not always more so than the La Tâche but in 2012 the king of complexity in the DRC range is indisputably Romanée-Conti. There is also a remarkable amount of minerality and the overall impression is one of seamless harmony. While I don't think that the 2012 Romanée-Conti will be able to rival the 2009 and 2010 versions, it's almost certainly going to be close.
98 points Allen Meadows, Burghound (1/2014)
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2013 @ £12,295 per 3 IB & BANDED OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
2013 La Tâche: Deep ruby. Once again a highly reticent nose only grudgingly gives up discreet, if attractively perfumed, notes of rose petal, spice and an ultra-pure assortment of red berry fruit scents. Like the Riche this possesses that wonderful inner mouth perfume that makes the Vosne grand crus justifiably so famous. There is wonderful intensity to the sleek big-bodied flavors that display plenty of punch and authority on the impeccably well-balanced and hugely long and very firmly structured finish. While La Tâche is often a very powerful wine, the 2013 version seems particularly so and it would be accurately described as a beautiful combination of power and refinement.
95 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2033+
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2013 @ £57,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC now
2013 Romanée-Conti: This is not as deeply hued as the La Tâche though it rarely ever is. The kaleidoscopically spicy, floral and complex nose however is a good deal more expressive, indeed almost surprisingly so given that it typically is quite reticent. In the same fashion as the La Tâche one aspect that is immediately clear is that 2013 is an emphatically powerful vintage for RC with its dense, serious and muscular middle weight plus flavors that retain terrific delineation on the extraordinarily pure and refined finish that seems to go on and on. The intensity does a slow build from the mid-palate to the explosive finale yet for all the robust power and intensity the overall impression remains harmonious and entirely Zen-like. This is, in a word, gorgeous.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2033+
1 case – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2014 @ £12,995 per 3 IB & BANDED OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
2 cases – 1/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2014 @ £4,595 per 1 IB & BANDED OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
2014 La Tâche: Fireworks in a glass would be the operative description of the super-fresh nose of the 2014 La Tâche and while it’s not necessarily spicier or more floral than the Riche, there is a broader range of elements present and in particular better overall aromatic depth along with more red fruits than dark. The imposingly powerful and tautly muscular flavors possess outstanding mid-palate density while simultaneously offering excellent delineation on the intensely mineral-infused, youthfully austere and very firmly structured finish that just goes on and on. While I suspect that this will drink reasonably well after only 15 to 18 years of bottle age note well that if you want to drink it when fully mature it will require in the range of 20 to 25 years of cellaring.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2034+
1 case – 3/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2014 @ £51,995 per 3 bottles IB & OWC now
2 cases – 1/75cl Romanee Conti Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2014 @ £16,495 per 1 bottle IB & OWC now
2014 Romanée-Conti: This is notably less expressive but not necessarily mute with its restrained aromas of red currant, anise, close, hoisin, sandalwood and once again Asian-style tea, all of which is trimmed in nuances of rose petal and lavender. The remarkably intense and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors possess a completely different texture before culminating in a stony, powerful, focused and explosively long finish that delivers sneaky good length because just as it appears to be dying away, it reappears. I wouldn’t say that 2014 is going to be one of the all-time great vintages for this most storied of all red burgundies but it certainly should be capable of reaffirming its reputation as the most distinctive wine in Burgundy. Like the La Tâche however note well that plenty of patience is going to be required.
97 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2034+
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2015 @ £16,695 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £18,750++) now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian – photo attached
1 case – 1/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2015 @ £5,295 per 1 IB & OWC now – bought EP C&B agent stock stored Octavian
As is often the case in its youth, this easily possesses the most aromatic breadth of any wine in the range with an utterly kaleidoscopic nose that incorporates notes of Asian spice box elements, rose petal, lavender, lilac, orange pekoe tea and sandalwood. There is superb richness to the powerfully constituted flavors that possess outstanding delineation and intensity while displaying perhaps even more minerality than usual, all wrapped in a mildly warm finish that slowly fans out as it sits on the palate. This is one classy wine that manages to do what only the greatest of burgundies can, which is to wow you with its power without weight mouth palate impression. And if all of this weren't enough, the refinement and poise here are nothing short of riveting. While I am very careful when it comes to proclaiming that such and such a vintage of La Tâche will go down as one of the all-time greats, the 2015 version appears to have the potential to be one of them. Time will of course be the final arbiter but the underlying material is so good it's difficult to be less than super-enthusiastic.
98 points Allen Meadows, Burghound (1/2018)
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2016 @ £14,295 per 3 IB & OWC now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian – photo attached
2 cases – 1/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2016 @ £4,895 per 1 IB & OWC now – bought EP C&B stock stored Octavian
As is often the case, the highly perfumed nose is the most floral-inflected of the range with its equally cool and restrained array of violet and rose petal scents that combine with an extraordinary group of spice elements on the essence of red currant aromas. The mouthfeel of the imposingly-scaled and powerful flavors is again robust yet refined with just as much minerality as the Richebourg adding even more lift to the almost painfully intense and extravagantly long finish that also just goes and goes. There is a hint of backend warmth but it's not enough to materially detract from the overall sense of harmony though I underscore that the '16 LT is one very firm effort that will require decades to full shed its tannic shell. With that said, this is genuinely brilliant.
98 points Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 2019
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2017 @ £12,695 per 3 IB & OWC (SIB) (Lowest Wine Searcher £13,962++) now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian – photo attached
1 case – 1/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2017 @ £4,195 per 1 IB & OWC now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian
Other than perhaps a great Musigny, La Tâche is the most aromatically compelling wine in Burgundy with its perfumed fireworks in a glass with a nose that is ultra-spicy, exuberantly fresh and impressively broad-ranging array of rose petal, exotic and herbal tea, lavender, plum, violet, sandalwood, soy and a whiff of hoisin. There is a beguiling sense of underlying tension to the supple and almost easy-going mid-palate of the deceptively forward medium-bodied flavors that progressively tighten up on the dusty, exceptionally stony and saline if ever-so-mildly warm finish that flashes excellent depth and superb persistence as well as plenty of youthful austerity. This is a La Tâche of contrasts as the mid-palate suggests early accessibility yet the firm core of tannins makes clear that the 2017 LT will require extended keeping if you wish to experience it at its peak.
96 points Allen Meadows, Burghound (1/2020)
2 cases – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2018 @ £14,795 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £15,950++) now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian – photo attached
1 case – 1/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2018 @ £5,195 per 1 IB & OWC now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian
This is unusually cool and airy in the context of what is typical in 2018 with its restrained and beautifully layered nose of rose petal, violet, lavender, lilac, sandalwood and soy nuances that add incredible breadth to the mostly red berry-suffused aromas, all of which is trimmed in very subtle oak influence. There is outstanding volume to the big, muscular and robust flavors that also possess focused power where the intensity does a slow build from the mid-palate to the explosively long and decidedly austere finish that just lasts and lasts. This is somewhat less 2018 in style than the prior wines though it is clearly quite ripe. It is also a bit less refined than it usually is, at least at this early stage, though to be fair it is still in its formative stages so we will see how it comes along with more aging. I would observe though that it is already abundantly clear that this is a stunningly great LT; indeed, it may well rival the 1999 in time, is going to develop quite slowly over a very long period.
99 points Allen Meadows, Burghound 1/2021)
1 case – 3/75cl La Tache Grand Cru MONOPOLE, Domaine de la Romanee Conti 2020 @ £13,995 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £15,500-£15,995++) now – C&B stock bought EP stored Octavian
2020 La Tâche: (a monopole of 6.06 ha). Much like the Romanée St. Vivant, here the equally reserved nose is overtly floral in character with a beautifully layered array of hoisin, soy, clove, anise, black cherry coulis, sandalwood and exotic jasmine and pekoe tea scents. Once again, the texture of the rich and impressively concentrated broad-shouldered flavors is super-sleek, and they too exude an almost pungent minerality on the clean, bright and exceptionally persistent finale where the only nit is a touch of backend warmth. Despite being very firmly structured, the mid-palate density is such that this could probably be approached after only 12 to 15 years. With that said, the 2020 LT should be capable of at least 25 years of improvement and 30 would not surprise me unduly. This is quite simply exquisite.
99 points Allen Meadows, Burghound /2045+
Payment Terms – Strictly 14 days on invoice for physical stocks (payment upon landing for later arrivals), and prior to stock transfer. Offered ex-LCB Tilbury, deliveries to other bonds charged at cost.
Subject to remaining unsold and final invoice confirmation. E&OE.
