2012 Romanee St Vivant
By Domaine Dujac
2012 Romanee St Vivant from Domaine Dujac, Burgundy, France
The 2012 vintage from the hallowed grounds of Domaine Dujac delivers an intriguing narrative, especially when it perorates about the Romanee St Vivant. This year was not without its challenges; the Burgundian vines faced a tumultuous start with erratic weather conditions spelling a forecast of concern. Yet, with adversity comes complexity, and the 2012 Romanee St Vivant has encapsulated this narrative with deft precision.
Unveiling Elegance Amidst Adversity
In Burgundy, the year’s capricious beginnings ultimately gave way to an exquisitely concentrated yield. The reduced harvest pushed each berry closer to perfection, a luxury that the skilled vintners at Domaine Dujac transformed into bottled enchantment. The essence of terroir sings through this wine—a chorus of minerality and finesse.
The tapestry woven by this particular Romanee St Vivant is dyed in deep ruby hues and threaded with fine silken tannins. Notes of black cherry and raspberry are seamless with earthier undertones of forest floor and a subtle hint of clove. The vintage's cooler conditions manifest in an elegant acidity that conducts this symphony with grace.
An Investment Worth Indulging
Fine wine investors seek not only monetary delight but also sensorial richness when allocating their resources. The 2012 Romanee St Vivant from Domaine Dujac is one such treasure—its distinctive palate and impeccable balance promising both cellar longevity and an expanding narrative that will continue to captivate those lucky enough to witness its evolution.
For connoisseurs whose portfolios are adorned with Burgundy's finest, the 2012 vintage represents a year where nature's trials have been transmuted by human talent into a voluptuous vinous experience—one that enriches both the spirit and the cellar's diversity.
A Confluence Of Rarity And Reward
To partake in the 2012 Romanee St Vivant from Domaine Dujac is to engage with a chapter of viticultural resilience, rendered into a sumptuous elixir. This wine is an emblem of investment-grade Burgundy—a testament to the alchemy that can occur when climate, care, and craftsmanship collide. One discerns within its ambiance not just a fleeting taste but a lingering wealth of experience well worth pursuit by those who esteem the profundity of Pinot Noir at its pinnacle.
Market price (GBP)
£18,750.00
12x75cl
Highest score
97
POP score
1102.94
Scores and tasting notes
This year, the 2012 Romanee Saint Vivant Grand Cru is being matured in a 400-litre barrel specially produced by Francois Freres. The reduction here soon blows off to reveal a very harmonious, feminine, delineated bouquet with perfectly placed red berry fruit, touches of flint and even marmalade. The palate is beautifully balanced with filigree tannins, very well judged acidity with a sensual, supremely focused finish with razor-like precision and beguiling femininity. Outstanding. Tasting in the cellars of Domaine Dujac in Morey Saint Denis is always an educational, enlightening experience, granting you a useful picture of how some of the top vineyards performed in the Cote de Nuits during a given year. Alec Seysses was on hand to guide me around his particularly cold cellar, one of those occasions when my warm hands might be bad for pastry, but ideal for warming glasses. “It was the fourth poor year in a row in terms of quantity,” he explained, showing me the concrete eggs now employed at the domaine, a less common sight here in Burgundy compared to Bordeaux. “although in 2012 we had a regular crop of the village crus and the younger vines did well. We averaged around 20 hectoliters per hectare. Everything was racked in early September but there is some reduction from the cold cellar. The softness of the tannins strikes me as a character of the vintage. It is more a dark fruit vintage than a red fruit vintage. Sugars were between 12.5 and 13%, with a few 13.3% here and there. I find the wines similar to 2010, but the 2012 is a little more charming because the tannins are not quite as strong.” Tasting through the complete range of wines from the small batch of negociant wines under “Dujac Fils et Pere” to the clutch of grand crus, it was clear that propitious terroirs that influenced the wines greatly. The village crus were mostly commendable in their own right, but the real excitement begins as you broach the premier crus, where the barrel samples achieve high degrees of complexity and nuance. Like many of the top growers, I was pleased to see individual terroirs articulated with great clarity in 2012, perhaps more so than the 2011s. These barrel samples seemed to contain so much energy: tightly coiled springs of fermented grape juice, brimming with tension and freshness that Jeremy and Alec will endeavor to capture once in bottle. I have little doubt that they will succeed. Importers: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724; Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500 and though several merchants in the UK including Berry Brother & Rudd.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 December 2013