Domaine de la Romanée-Conti : Grands-Echezeaux Grand cru 2014

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Grands-Échezeaux 2014 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Tasting

Appearance

The appearance unveils a bright ruby red color with fuchsia highlights, testifying to remarkable concentration and a youthful vivacity promising long aging.

Nose

The nose reveals extraordinary complexity with notes of menthol, earth, and black fruit. One discovers aromas of raspberry, black cherry, and crushed stone evoking an almost chalky minerality. Secondary nuances of red plum, sandalwood, and spices complete this bouquet. With aeration, the wine unveils subtle floral and herbaceous touches, testifying to a depth that will continue to develop over the years.

Palate

The attack on the palate is medium-bodied with an immediately structured texture. The palate expresses remarkable concentration and captivating purity. A pronounced saline vein runs through the entire tasting, reflecting the limestone substrate of the Grands-Échezeaux terroir. The mid-palate reveals juicy red fruit accompanied by beautiful salinity and spices. The tannins are elegant, gracefully integrated, firm but refined. The finish, long and complex, lingers on sensations of red fruit imbued with minerality. The natural acidity brings freshness and definition without ever appearing aggressive.

Food and wine pairings

This 2014 Grands-Échezeaux pairs with roasted game birds such as pheasant, duck, or woodcock, as well as venison prepared in sauce. Roasted red meats, notably beef Wellington, sirloin, or prime rib, also constitute excellent pairings. Herb-roasted lamb accompanied by substantial vegetables will suit it perfectly. For cheeses, favor an aged Comté or Gruyère to accompany the wine in its youth, or more powerful Burgundian cheeses like Époisses or Langres when the bottle has gained maturity. Vegetarian preparations based on mushrooms, such as a porcini risotto or truffle pasta, will also offer beautiful pairings thanks to their umami and earthy characteristics.

Service and cellaring

The 2014 Grands-Échezeaux deserves decanting from thirty minutes to several hours depending on its stage of evolution to allow for optimal aromatic opening. Serve this wine at a temperature between 14 and 16°C to fully reveal its aromatic complexity while preserving its freshness. This wine can be appreciated from 2025 and will continue to improve until around 2065, thus offering several decades of tasting pleasure.

A Burgundy Grands-Échezeaux combining power and mineral elegance

The estate

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is rooted in Burgundy's viticultural heritage since the thirteenth century, when the monks of the Saint-Vivant Priory undertook the planting of vines on this exceptional terroir. Structured in its current form in 1942 by Edmond Gaudin de Villaine, the estate today extends over approximately twenty-nine hectares distributed between the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. Since 2022, Perrine Fenal and Bertrand de Villaine have managed the estate, perpetuating a philosophy of excellence based on biodynamic agriculture practiced since 1986 and yields voluntarily limited between twenty and thirty hectoliters per hectare. Recognized globally as one of the most prestigious producers in Burgundy, the estate embodies a vision of patrimonial transmission where each generation considers itself the temporary guardian of a timeless heritage.

The vineyard

Grands-Échezeaux constitutes one of the eight Grands Crus of the commune of Flagey-Échezeaux in the Côte de Nuits, although the appellation bears the mention Vosne-Romanée. This 9.06-hectare vineyard is located southwest of the Clos de Vougeot, from which it is separated only by a wall. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti holds 3.52 hectares, or about 40% of the total area, making it the largest owner of this Grand Cru. The soils are composed mainly of clay-limestone resting on a Bajocian limestone substrate, at an altitude of approximately 250 meters. The relatively flat terrain benefits from excellent natural drainage.

The vintage

The 2014 vintage in Burgundy proved globally favorable. The 2013-2014 winter saw temperatures above average, leading to relatively early budburst and flowering. Spring and early summer proceeded normally with adequate humidity and moderate temperatures favoring vegetative development. While hailstorms affected certain sectors of the Côte de Beaune, notably Meursault, the vineyards of the Côte de Nuits, including those of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, were largely spared. The temperate conditions of this growing season allowed for the extraction of subtle nuances from the grapes, resulting in balanced wines without the concentration challenges linked to extreme heat nor the maturity problems of cool years. The Grands-Échezeaux harvest took place on September 23 and 24 with yields of 32.5 hectoliters per hectare.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the 2014 Grands-Échezeaux were harvested manually and carefully sorted before vinification. The estate practices parcel-by-parcel vinification using indigenous yeasts, with a proportion of whole bunches that confers a characteristic freshness and a slightly rustic dimension to the wine. Vatting is accompanied by manual pump-overs to delicately extract color, tannins, and aromas. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is barreled in French oak casks for malolactic fermentation. Aging continues in barrels for approximately eighteen months, allowing for a harmonious integration of the wood and a progressive development of aromatic complexity. The estate favors a non-interventionist approach, without excessive filtration or fining, in order to preserve the authenticity and expression of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir