Domaine de la Romanee Conti   Montrachet

2000 Montrachet

By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

1997 Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Burgundy

The remarkable 1997 vintage of Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair is a symphony of maturity, complexity and elegance, emanating from one of Burgundy's most distinguished vineyards. My extensive encounter with this prodigious wine reveals an unrivalled exquisite expression of both time and terroir.

 

A Vintage of Distinction

The 1997 vintage in Burgundy was one beset by weather extremes – a season that tested both vine and vintner to the utmost. Luckily, the terroir of Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres - with its impeccable lineage - provided the resilience needed to shine through this challenging year. This resulted in a wine layered with refined complexities seldom found elsewhere.

 

Refined Elegance and Investment Potential

What strikes me most profoundly about the 1997 Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres is its sublime poise - a poised ripeness restrained by an almost ethereal acidity. The tannins, now softened after years of careful cellaring, are as supple as aged velvet, while the palate resonates with notes of blackcurrant, sous bois, and a whisper of spice. As a fine wine investor savouring such quality, you can intuit both rarity and desirability.

The nuanced refinement and splendid maturity of this vintage mark it as one of the more distinctive offerings from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. The very essence of 1997 is stitched into the rich tapestry of flavours encased within each bottle, rendering it a prime selection for investment consideration.

 

An Oenophile's Odyssey

Summoning a beguiling olfactory bouquet that melds earthy undertones with a hint of leather, this 1997 Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres invites an exploratory voyage through the illustrious history of Burgundian winemaking. Savvy collectors will recognise in this vintage both historical significance and immense palate pleasure – it's not simply a wine; it stands as an embodiment of an exceptional year.

In conclusion, the 1997 Nuits St Georges Aux Lavieres from Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair is an encapsulation of time-honoured tradition mingled with climatic tenacity; a testament to endurance translated into flavour. It stands as an admirable asset in any discerning investor's portfolio, replete with the legacy that accompanies fine Burgundian viticulture.

Market price (USD)

$84,600.00

12x75cl

Highest score

95

POP score

4620

Scores and tasting notes

95

The Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s policy of late harvests for their Montrachet leads to forward, expressive wines with boisterously flavorful personalities. The spice box-scented 2000 Montrachet is a huge, medium-bodied, luscious wine. Buttered, super-ripe apples, poached pears, honeyed minerals, and countless spices can be discerned in its extravagant personality. Rich, deep, and dense, it is the sexiest, most seductive Montrachet I’ve encountered. Projected maturity: now-2010. According to Aubert de Villaine, the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s co-director, “2000 was a particularly difficult vintage with lots of rot throughout all the vineyards. Rot is simply a sorting problem, and for that we are very well equipped. The sugar levels were very nice, but the grapes did not have the phenolic ripeness of 1999 or 2001. Ultimately, 2000 is the absolute opposite of 1999 at the Domaine since the wines are feminine and delicate. They are wines for connoisseurs, like a cross between 1992 and 1995. In fact, I’d say they are like 1992 but with more volume and fruit.” None of the Domaine’s 2000s are recommended as they were found to be lean, rustic, hard, and backward. In addition, two of the wines had vegetal characteristics and another two may have been tainted with rot. 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

Vintage performance