2001 La Tache
By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
2001 La Tache from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Burgundy, France
The millennium year had scarcely receded when the 2001 vintage in Burgundy was approached with that discerning mixture of anticipation and reticence; vintners and oenophiles alike keen to discover whether the fabled nineties prowess would wend into the new century. A discernible terroir aristocrat, the 2001 La Tache from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, emerged, after all, as one of those captivating vintages that etched its mark within the pantheon of fine wines desired by investors and collectors globally.
A Vintage Veritable: Climatic Grace Meets Mastery
What sets the 2001 vintage at La Tache apart is the remarkable balance achieved in a year where climatic conditions ensured a disciplined hand in both vineyard and cellar. Autumn rains were succeeded by an intermittently warm September that beckoned a harvest yielding fruit with an alluring concentration mingled with a vibrancy precedented only by whispers of decades past.
The precision of this harvest is encapsulated in the glass – a ruby garment fringes the deeper core, cloaking a poetically wrought bouquet that flaunts fresh violets, black cherries, and an ineffable truffle undertone – distinct hallmarks of the 2001 vintage. On the palate, it is both lithe and assertive; structured tannins underpinning a cavalcade of red berries complemented by an undertow of fine oak and earthy minerality, unfurling incrementally with each sip to affirm its stature.
An Investment Worthy of Its Lineage
Accounting for its provenance from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, investment in the 2001 La Tache bears not merely the promise of a growing financial return but also the potential for an evocative personal experience. This wine's harmony between its immediate intensity and latent complexity reads like prose to those versed in Burgundian melodies.
The 2001 La Tache stands as a beacon for those seeking not just to diversify their portfolio but to invest in a piece of vinicultural artistry. The provenance and promise held within each bottle ensure that this vintage is poised to continue its ascent in both valuation and venerability distinct from its brethren in years adjacent.
Market price (GBP)
£54,180.00
12x75cl
Highest score
91
POP score
4925.45
Scores and tasting notes
Earth-laced blackberries can be discerned in the nose of the 2001 La Tache. Suave, plush, and regal, it boasts loads of candied black fruits in its deep character. This supple wine reveals superb clarity of fruit and an impressively long, fruit-filled finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2012. Concerning the 2001s, de Villaine, the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s co-director, stated that “it was not an easy year, it was a real roller coaster for vignerons. The estate’s vineyards, like everyone in Burgundy, had rot infestations so we did two harvests, one for the best, healthiest bunches and then another. Of course, we meticulously sorted all the fruit as we always do.” Those readers who are always looking for news concerning the next vintage will be interested to hear the following. Unlike almost all his colleagues who said that 2002 was going to be a spectacular vintage, de Villaine informed me that it would “another irregular year.” Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661
Pierre Rovani - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2003