Domaine de la Romanee Conti   Echezeaux

2007 Echezeaux

By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

2007 Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Burgundy, France

Embarking on a review of the 2007 Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti leads one down a path carved by delicate intricacies and a storied provenance. Yes, even amongst the pantheon of lauded vintages from this esteemed Burgundy producer, the 2007 iteration stands out as an exemplar of elegance and balance in a year that presented a framework of challenges—a testament to the winemaking prowess at Domaine de la Romanee-Conti.

 

Precision and Poise: An Oenophile's Treasure Trove

The 2007 season in Burgundy required astuteness and nimble reactions from vignerons. Coming off the prodigious heels of 2005 and 2006, the expectations set upon Echezeaux—and indeed on all Domaine de la Romanee-Conti offerings—were immense. This particular vintage, however, rewarded those with keen patience: a cooler than average summer implied a slower, more meticulous ripening process, endowing the wine with a tapestry of subtleties often missing from more opulent years.

 

A Study in Terroir-Driven Finesse

This Burgundian gem reveals a lesser-seen side to Echezeaux—whispers of complexity vie for attention in the bouquet, offering hints of vibrant red fruit that are meticulously interwoven with earthy undertones and a faint trace of spice. It demands contemplation; it rewards diligence. The palate reciprocates this aromatic promise, delivering bright acidity aligned impeccably with mature tannins to craft an experience of nuanced harmony. The finesse here is not about power; it's about precision—the ability of a fine Grand Cru to articulate its terroir even under strenuous climatic ballets.

For the astute investor, the 2007 Echezeaux from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti encapsulates an opportunity as much as an indulgence. This vintage is a compelling beacon for those seeking to diversify their portfolios with wines that embody resilience and grace under pressure.

 

The Verdict: Cultivating Sophistication

In conclusion, mentoring one's palate through the tasting of this sophisticated 2007 Burgundy offers glimpse into not only the mastery behind Domaine de la Romanee-Conti but also into the myriad forces that sculpt each bottle's journey from grape to grandeur. Herein lies a palatable vintage preserving history—an intelligent selection for both seasoned collectors and speculative connoisseurs alike.

Current market price

£31,500.00

12x75cl

Highest score

90

POP score

3150

Scores and tasting notes

90

The Domaine’s 2007 Echezeaux displays ripe red berry and star anise aromas; a tender fruit character, mingled with a hint of mocha and underlain by subtly saline meat stock on a silken palate, and a finish that preserves just enough of a fresh edge to its fruit to stimulate salivation and the desire for the next sip. Here is a 2007 that remains true to the personality it expressed early on in barrel, albeit with flattering textural refinement and a greater sense of purity. It’s small scale, but only in the non-derogatory sense of chamber music (two words I used to describe it and, amusingly, later heard from de Villaine). I imagine this charmer being best enjoyed over the next 5-7 years. Domaine de La Romanee-Conti director Aubert de Villaine perceives both the estate’s 2008 and 2007 collections as vins de garde, and I can’t argue with that assessment, even though when I first tasted the 2007s – soon after they had come out of malo – I harbored reservations, wondering whether to interpret de Villaine’s description of them as “ethereal” to read “ephemeral.” He says holding back the usual 5% share of production for the Domaine’s own cellar was difficult in the greatly reduced 2008 vintage, and that he is already regretting not having arranged to bottle a larger share in magnum. He still had time when I visited in April to reconsider the bottle format for three appellations, which were the only ones I was able to taste, since De Villaine is loathe to show wines in the first 9-12 months after bottling. (I’ll report on the full 2008 collection from bottle at a later date.) If the 2007s here were unusual for that vintage in the degree to which they gained stature in the course of elevage, such behavior was normal when it came to 2008, so that I was not surprised to hear de Villaine remark on a new-found degree of confidence in the stature of that collection. To an even greater degree than in most vintages, success in 2007 and 2008 came down to meticulousness at every stage; to quality of vine material; and to location, in all of which respects no estate in Burgundy has any advantage over the Domaine de La Romanee-Conti. Interestingly, the estate lingered no longer over the picking of their 2008s – from the first of the La Tache on September 27 to the last of the Echezeaux on October 6 – than they had over the 2007s, which were picked from September 1-11. The inclusion of stems was lowered to less than half in 2007, incidentally, but in 2008 was typically closer to three-quarters. Vendange entier is a technique not only time-honored and in continuous use at the Domaine de La Romanee-Conti (even when it fell out of favor at most Burgundy estates in the waning 20th century), but one which de Villaine and cellarmaster Bernard Noblet have subjected to repeated testing, so as to establish in any given vintage the right balance between 100% de-stemmed (“which lacks something by way of complexity,” says de Villaine) and 100% (“which can be too marked by the stems,” he continues). Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2010

Vintage performance