1996 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands-Echezeaux

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is unquestionably Burgundy’s most famous estate, and among serious oenophiles, it may be the most famous wine estate in the world. Its Grand Cru Pinot Noirs and one Chardonnay regularly command some of the highest prices for any wine produced anywhere in the world, and according to many reviewers the wines are generally celestial. Though its history is complicated, the domaine is now owned by several long-time Burgundy families, with some owners holding just a very few shares. The 62.5 acres of vineyard owned by the domaine are planted to Pinot Noir and a small amount of Chardonnay. The wines produced are Grands Echezeaux, Echezeaux, Romanee-St.-Vivant, Montrachet, Richebourg, Romanee-Conti, and La Tache. Of the Pinot Noirs, the rarest is the Romanee-Conti, with an annual production of only 450 cases. The most plentiful, theoretically, is La Tache, produced in quantities of about 1,900 cases annually.

Grands-Echezeaux is a Grand Cru vineyard in the southern Cote de Nuits. It is a 23-acre plot and is generally flat with an elevation of 260 meters. The soil is limestone mixed with clay and pebbles. Pinot Noir is grown in the vineyard and the largest proprietors are Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, with 8.83 acres; Mongeard-Mugneret, 3.6 acres; and Jean-Pierre Mugneret/Jean-Rene Naudant, 2.25 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.