Romanée Conti, Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2022

The 2022 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru is pure and understated, unfurling in the glass with notes of red plum preserve, rose petals, incense and a discreet framing of new oak. Full-bodied, suave and ample, it's soft and supple, with a sweet core of fruit, melting tannins and a polished, seamless profile, concluding with a sapid finish. It was picked on 1 September and bottled on 8 January 2024.

No deeper in colour, a pure and even purple. The nose is less immediate than La Tâche but with an exceptional feeling of depth. No longer rose petals but peonies in full bloom on top of the haunting depth of more than velvet dark red berries. Dancing across the palate in a stately way rather than tip toing. The finish is every bit as endless as La Tâche but with a much grander volume of fruit. This will need much more time and will deliver a stellar Romanée-Conti when it eventually reaches its apogee. I am going to do what I have only done once before – and score the wine with a split range of 99-100. Drink from 2040-2060. Tasted May 2025.