Romanée Conti, Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2002

Like many 2002s at five years of age, this is really beginning to close up and become a good deal less expressive. Vigorous swirling however coaxes a superbly detailed if reluctant nose of dried rose petals, kirsch and plenty of spice elements. The medium weight plus flavors are taut, focused, very backward, powerful and punchy and like the nose, blessed with seriously impressive detail and layer after layer of sappy extract and incredible depth. Impeccably balanced with a certain tenderness here with tannins that are sophisticated and quite fine with the classic Romanée-Conti character of an almost spiritual sense of harmony. Though it will need a lot of time, this will become a great vintage for Romanée-Conti.