2012 Romanee-Conti
By Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
2012 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy, France
In the pantheon of Burgundy's greatest wines, the 2012 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti occupies a place of reverence. As a critic who has had the privilege of witnessing countless vintages mature and evolve, I can attest that the year 2012 stands out for its sheer poise and complexity, particularly within the hallowed bounds of this esteemed domaine.
A Vintage Defined by Adversity and Triumph
The narrative of 2012 in Burgundy was one scribed by climatic challenges—from a winter that overstayed its welcome to a summer that dallied in its arrival. This coolness and subsequent battles with hail and disease in the vineyards brought yields to an historical low. Yet, it is precisely this crucible of adversity that forged a vintage of stunning concentration and aromatic exuberance.
The 2012 Romanée-Conti encapsulates this paradox of scarcity and opulence. In the glass, the wine is not just a visual feast with its lustrous ruby-crimson hue but also an aromatic tapestry woven from the finest threads: wild cherries, violets, and ineffable spices—a patrimonial scent that stirs deep recollections of Vosne-Romanée's hallowed terroir.
Palate Precision: The Hallmark of Investment-Calibre Wine
On the palate, one finds a wine in which each sip confers an almost transcendental experience. The integration of fruit, acid, and tannin approaches alchemy—the arcane art that only Domaine de la Romanée-Conti seems to master so consistently year on year. The 2012 vintage broadcasts its pedigree with unassailable confidence; it is a profound blend of persistence and grace, with an ageing potential that assures continued blossoming over the coming decades.
For investors, acquiring the 2012 Romanée-Conti aligns with securing not just a venerable addition to their portfolios but an emblem of vinous rarity and resilience. It remains an eloquent narrator of both its season and its soil—an artefact whose value transcends market flux.
Concluding Appraisal
The 2012 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti emerges as one of the pinnacles of Burgundian viticulture—a testament to what can be achieved even within the most demanding vintages. Its distinction lies not merely in survival but in triumphing over adversity to yield a wine resplendent with character, depth, and age-worthiness. It is an exemplar for collectors and connoisseurs alike—an enduring beacon in the ever-evolving narrative of fine wine investment.
Market price (USD)
$323,000.00
12x75cl
Highest score
99
POP score
13925.26
Scores and tasting notes
Usually, choosing between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti is like choosing between your two favourite children. Not this year. The 2012 Romanée-Conti is one of the most spellbinding that I have tasted since I began 17 years ago. The bouquet is quite astonishing with brilliant delineation and focus, an almost disorientating sense of mineralité that soars from the glass and leaves you speechless. The palate is perfectly proportioned with a sensational line of acidity, brimming over with energy and frisson. This flirts with perfection and you know, one day it might actually achieve it. Just 350 cases produced.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 27 February 2015
The 2012 Corton Grand Cru was cropped at 11 hectoliters per hectare on September 21. Clear, almost pale in color, the nose exudes that term often appropriated to Burgundy: transparency. The aromatics gradually unfold with light strawberry and red cherry scents, just a hint of sous bois in the background. The palate is crisp on the entry with tart cherries, a fine line of acidity and hints of brown sugar interwoven through the finish that fans out gently. It feels a little foursquare, a "correct" Corton that is perhaps letting the fellow Grand Crus take the limelight. But it will give pleasure over the next 10 to 12 years, and though it might not represent the best Corton since the domaine took over the parcels in 2009, it is perhaps the one that slots in perfectly with the other wines. Just 242 cases produced this year.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 27 February 2015