Romanée Saint Vivant, Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2003

In contrast to the aromatic explosiveness of the Grands Ech, this is a good deal more reserved but much more elegant with floral and subtle spice notes adding nuance to the upper register ripe black fruit aromas that are clearly pinot in basic character. The flavors aren't as big or muscular as the Grands but there is better precision, elegance and purity here with strikingly complex and refined flavors that are supple on the mid-palate but quite firm on the finish. There is the barest trace of warmth but it's a background note and this is superbly classy juice. The '01 RSV laid to rest the now dated notion that this wine isn't at the same level as the rest of the range here and this hammers home the point with authority. A great wine of enormous class and style and it is perhaps the freshest wine in the range in 2003.

Perhaps the biggest Romanee-St.-Vivant produced at this domaine, the 2003 offers aromatics as well as flavors reminiscent of black fruits drenched in dark chocolate. Full-bodied, velvety-textured, as well as concentrated, it is immensely ripe, crammed with tannin, and vaunts an amazingly long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018.