Domaine de la Romanee Conti   Romanee Conti

1990 Romanee-Conti

By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti

The Esteemed 1990 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Burgundy

As an avid chronicler of the comings and goings in the world of vinicultural finery, the 1990 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has long held a coveted spot in my ledger of exceptional vintages. This particular year is marked by a growing season that was as benevolent as nature’s caprices allow—warm, but not excessively so; wet, yet without the threat of flood; yielding grapes at once both generously flavoured and structurally poised.

 

An Unassailable Pedigree

The '90 vintage expresses a compelling narrative, where the fickle Burgundian climate, often prone to whimsical downturns, instead offered its magnanimous best. When we speak of oenological investments, it is single vintages like this that captivate and charm its beholders, offering a clarity of purpose and assuredness in value appreciation. In these bottles lie the eloquence of aged pinot noir translucent in its evolution yet profound in depth.

 

A Vintage That Resonates With Intention and Elegance

The 1990 Romanée-Conti reveals a tapestry of complexity largely unrivalled by its contemporary peers. It presents a bouquet replete with ethereal aromas of ripe cherries and violets, underpinned by an earthy semblance that hints at truffle and wet forest floor. The palate is a masterful symphony of balance, combining the suppleness of fine tannins with an acidity that sings of longevity and promise. A firm yet nuanced finish underscores its capability to enthrall connoisseurs for decades more.

For collectors and investors alike, this compass-point vintage represents both rarity and holistic gratification—a wine where each sip offers a moment’s escape into the storied pastures of Burgundy's hallowed terroir.

 

Concluding Appraisal

Intrinsic quality melded with the grace of ideal climatic blessings makes the 1990 Romanée-Conti an articulate choice for those seeking to enrich their cellars with pedigree and performance. In terms of investment potential, one can hardly look past such a distinguished harvest that has not only endured with dignity but will continue on its upwards trajectory in both acclaim and value. It articulates not just a moment within a bottle but the story of what extraordinary patience coupled with undisciplined passion can culminate in—the 1990 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti epitomises wine collecting at its zenith.

Market price (USD)

$289,340.00

12x75cl

Highest score

98

POP score

13167.22

Scores and tasting notes

98

The 1990 Romanee-Conti should ultimately be the most compelling and complex of the DRC wines. Normally it possesses a lighter color than either La Tache or Richebourg, but in 1990 it boasts a surprisingly saturated color that is the equal of La Tache and Richebourg. The nose offers up sweet, clove, cinnamon, and blackberry aromas intermingled with toasty, smoky new oak. Lavishly rich and full-bodied, with abundant tannins, this profound, surprisingly large-scaled, tannic wine boasts more muscle than usual. Let's hope that the billionaires that buy it have as much taste as money. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2025 . The DRC 1990s, all of which were bottled in April/May, are among the deepest colored wines from this domaine that I have tasted in the last decade. Moreover, they are firmly structured, with significant tannins from both the vintage and from the aging in 100% new oak barrels. For the fortunate few who have had the discretionary income to afford the other great vintages of the DRC from the eighties, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1988, and 1989, the question is - are the 1990s superior? I am not sure they are any better than the 1980s, 1985, and 1988s, but they undoubtedly represent a classic, concentrated, long-lived style of wine. Moreover, all of these wines should have a more graceful evolution and broader window of drinkability than the tannic 1988s, as well as potentially greater longevity than the succulent and opulent 1985s. All of these offerings are outstanding, with that tell-tale complex, exotic fragrance that the DRC routinely achieves. NOTE: Prices for the 1990s had not been released (the wines will arrive in early 1993). I have inserted the same prices asked for the 1989 vintage as an approximation of what these wines will fetch. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 22 October 1992

Vintage performance