Chronicle 105. Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche Grand Cru versus château Margaux Vintages: 2005, 2001, 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1988 and 1982, purchased bottles

Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche Grand Cru versus château Margaux Vintages: 2005, 2001, 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1988 and 1982. Odd ones out: Dominus, Orneillaia, Hermitage Chave, Pichon Comtesse. Chronicle n° 105 ( November, 4th 2010) Tasting those two wines side by side was something that I had been dreaming of for a long time. I am not so familiar with La Tâche as I am with château Margaux but I can still remember a sublime 1999 and a superbly classy 2000 whose elegant texture I found quite enticing, particularly given the overall modest 2000 vintage for Burgundy wines. As for Margaux, it is undoubtedly one of my favourite wines in the world. The pleasure of this unique and rare experience would come from feeling what the wines have in common: ethereal profiles and a miraculous weave of tannins. It is not uncommon for wine tasters to start tasting with preconceived ideas and end up with very different views once the event is over. Here the comparative tasting unexpectedly revealed a firm aspect along with a woodish note in château Margaux that cannot be traced when the wine is tasted on its own. Might have the soft pulp of the top Burgundy helped disclose the firm character of the leading Medoc - no matter how superbly ethereal and scented? Well, it might have done. This is less true of the vintages after 1995. The fact is that I actually gave my best scores to the vintages that are more ready for drinking, those for which the typical château Margaux profile is more polished and accomplished now, particularly the 1996 vintage. As regards La Tâche, the side by side tasting revealed a slightly fizzy note for the 2005, 2000 and 1996, which I found extremely puzzling. Would I have perceived it without the Margaux next to it? I might have done. I now rely on my friends whose cellars are stocked up with all the vintages to give me the opportunity to double check those perceptions at an exceptional vertical. Many La Tâche vintages were characterised by a recurrent note of crushed leaves which I do not believe was brought to light by the comparative tasting. Here is an extract from a letter that M. Aubert de Villaine sent to me in 2004 following a comment I had written on La Tâche and in which I had mentioned a leafy note. “ I believe that this leafy note is one of the magical touches that make the top Burgundy what they are…Each year I can trace it in La Romanée Conti whilst it is going through the elevage. To me, it is the unmistakable sign that the wine harbours in its heart a secret maturing potential, a kind of “second stage of the rocket” that little by little will mature and blossom inside the bottle. I believe the wonderful scents of rose petals we find in the La Tâche or Romanée Conti that are over 30 years of age come from this potential. But the leafy note is of course totally different from a green character which would point to a faulty maturity of the tannins. ” I also have to bring up the regrettably recurrent problem of discrepancy from one bottle to the next. Corks are involved – we are all aware of that – and for the first time I have decided to tell you which of the bottles were bought specifically for the tasting – the others all came from the organiser’s cellar where they had been stored since the en primeur and until they were picked for the event. Unfortunately for the estates, and for us consumers who spend a lot of money on the bottles, it is obvious that each time they changed hands and are moved around, the quality of the wine is affected – and how are we supposed to know how many times the bottles have changed owners? The older the bottle, the higher the risk. It is true for any wine in the world. So, will there be a quality label one day specifying “exclusively from the property”? The blind tasting took place in Switzerland in May 2009 and was held in public. All bottles were decanted but for the 1982s. __________________________________________ For information: La Tâche is a Burgundy grand cru set on the commune of Vosne Romanée. It belongs exclusively to Domaine de la Romanée Conti. It covers 5.72 hectares planted with pinot and produces 23 600 bottles a year. Château Margaux is set on the commune of Margaux. It has been a Médoc 1st growth since the 1855 classification. It covers 80 hectares of red vines and 10 hectares lying fallow. It is planted with 74% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 1% cabernet franc. The average blend is made of 85 to 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5 to 10% merlot, 2 to 3% petit verdot, 1 to 2% cabernet franc. Average production: 120 000 to 150 000 bottles a year. The owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos also oversees the estate. __________________________________________ First flight: 1995 and 1990 LA TACHE 1995……………….. 16,75 // 91.................. The bottle had been purchased. Evolved and fairly intense colour. Fruit-laden nose with an animal edge. Extremely mellow on entry then revealing a melting and superbly fragrant character. After the mid-palate a leafy note catches on the palate and hampers pure enjoyment. Medium length. Ready for drinking now and before 2015. Pleasure score : 16 // 88-89 MARGAUX 1995…………….... 17,25 // 93 Lovely dark and deep colour - slightly evolved. Fresh and refined nose of beautifully ripe fruit. Delicate and precise on entry – sophisticated even - it then develops aromatic and fat. However, like La Tache, it catches on finish. But its beautiful length is a real asset: this Margaux 1995 turns out to be very good indeed. Time will work in its favour. We need to wait for it a few more years. From 2015 to 2035. Pleasure score: 16 // 88-89 MARGAUX 1990………………. 16,5 // 90 Dark deep evolved colour. Discreet fresh and fruity on the nose. Delicate and caressing on entry, maybe a little on the thin side. It picks up volume, breadth and tannins on the mid- palate but falters over the length and definitely lacks punch towards the finish. Here is a bottle which is not quite up to the standard of the château. To be assessed again. LA TACHE 1990………………. No score awarded..................The bottle had been purchased Extremely evolved in colour with brown hues on the rim. Uncanny nose. Quite smooth on the palate but the distinct chicory taste may well point to a faulty bottle. The cork was soaked in wine. Given the excellent reputation of the vintage and the 4 400 euros price tag, it was a huge disappointment. __________________________________________ 2d flight: 2000 and 2005 LA TACHE 2000………………….. 18 // 95..................The bottle had been purchased The colour is extremely evolved. Wonderfully dainty and refined nose of fruits, smoke and coffee - the lovely and mellow hint of cherry reminds us of pinot. Superbly mellow on entry then extremely caressing on the palate. It melts with elegance and class but appears a touch fizzy. Gorgeously lingering length over a truly regal weave of tannins. A grand vin indeed. Ready for drinking and before 2020. Pleasure score : 17.5 // 94 MARGAUX 2000…………….……17,5 // 94 Superb dark deep and youthful colour. Discreet and fruity on the nose with just a hint of smoke. Delicately pulpy on attack – so very château Margaux - then gracefully melting, fruit- laden and admirably soft in its texture. It loses momentum and falters after the mid-palate but the length is good and the tannins well-coated. Because of the lack of complexity on finish I could not recognize in this particular bottle the château Margaux 2000 I knew. However, when I tasted it again a year later, I found it more convincing. From 2015 and before 2040. Pleasure score: 16.5 // 90 MARGAUX 2005………………… 17,5 // 94 Bright youthful deep red. Surprisingly clean nose, fresh fruity and deep - with a touch of wood too. Extremely tight and dense on entry the wine then picks up incredible strength, tannins and yet remains run through with tastes. Here the 2005 vintage can easily be recognized thanks to the intense woody character. Long lingering length, unfortunately a little firm. It was so closed-in that you should not consider drinking it before 2017 – even if when I tasted it 6 months later in London it performed much better and scored 97. Today, the wine’s performance is not back up to the 100 points awarded before bottling and I learnt that, even at Château Margaux, Paul Pontallier finds it so withdrawn that he won’t serve it for the time being. Before 2050 Pleasure score: 16 // 88-89 LA TACHE 2005………………….. 19,5 // 98..................The bottle had been purchased Beautiful dark deep colour, with shades of scarlet. Splendid nose: fresh, clean, deep and refined - a true delight upon swirling. Extremely complex nose of deep fruits with quite unique undergrowth tones. Superbly broad and mellow on entry, yet again maybe a touch fizzy. The wine then melts and picks up aromas and fat, becomes powerful and punchy on the back of the palate before finishing deep over an amazing lasting length. The green hint I mentioned in the 1995 can be traced here too but still, this La Tache 2005 is absolutely superb and magically vibrant. Taste it now for a unique aesthetic experience but wait until 2020 to enjoy it over a meal. Before 2050. Pleasure score: 18 // 95 __________________________________________ 3rd flight: 2001 with ORNELLAIA as the odd one out ORNEILLAIA 2001…………………. 15,75// 88 ..................The bottle had been purchased Bolgheri Tuscany Deep dark red in colour. Finely woody and spicy Southern nose of smoke and cream. Mellow and fruity on attack. The wine is rich and opulent, generously Southern in its tastes, but the texture is coarse on the mid-palate and on finish. Here again a bitter note that should not be here is perceptible. Medium length. Ready for drinking now and before 2015-2020. Pleasure score: 15 // 86 MARGAUX 2001…………………… 17 // 92 Deep dark colour, slightly evolved. Beautiful and refined nose of fruit, smoke and a hint of coffee. Compared to the previous wine it seems a little cold – it is less spicy. Wonderfully soft and caressing on entry, it then builds particularly fragrant and melting and delivers gorgeous flavours throughout the palate length. This Margaux 2001 is well-structured, with a hint of wood, and finishes over soft tannins. An enticing wine overall. From 2013 and 2025. Pleasure score: 16.5 // 90 LA TACHE 2001…………………… 16,5 // 90..................The bottle had been purchased Extremely evolved in colour. The nose of ripe fruit is quite unusual and hard to define. Elegantly delicate and subtly caressing on the palate. Beautifully melting up to the mid-palate then unfortunately revealing a slightly leafy note. Medium length. From 2013 and before 2020. Pleasure score : 16 // 88-89 __________________________________________ 4th flight : 1988 with DOMINUS as the odd one out LA TACHE 1988…………………… No score awarded..................The bottle had been purchased Extremely evolved in colour. Muddy and earthy on the nose and insubstantial on the palate tonight. It might be worth remembering 1988 was a modest year indeed for Burgundy wines. But the cork was also soaked in wine. MARGAUX 1988…………………. 17,5 // 94 A little evolved and fairly deep dark in colour. Clean fresh and fruity nose with a hint of wood. Superbly mellow and melting on entry then building with fat, aromas and tension. Truly tasty and powerful on the palate, finishing a touch firm with a hint of wood and yet with finely woven tannins from start to finish. Good length. Ready for drinking now and before 2020. Pleasure score : 17 // 92 DOMINUS 1988 Californie……….. 14,75 // 85-86..................The bottle had been purchased Good intensity, dark red, slightly evolved in colour. Discreet nose of ripe fruit. On the palate the wine is twofold: fragrant and mellow to start with but unfortunately quickly drying up on finish. That particular bottle had nothing to do with the one – from exactly the same case - I had tasted a couple of months before and to which I had given the score of 16.25 // 89. Pleasure score: 14 // 84 __________________________________________ 5th flight : 1996 with ERMITAGE DE CHAVE as the odd one out ERMITAGE DE CHAVE 1996………. 14,75// 85-86..................The bottle had been purchased Lacking clarity in the glass, volatile acidity on the nose (distinct smell of gherkins), thin and insubstantial on the palate: everything is pointing to a tired bottle. MARGAUX 1996…………………… 18 // 95 Deep dark red, slightly evolved colour. Elegant and fruity nose with animal undertones. Definitely a fine wine upon swirling. Beautifully juicy on entry then building with superb flavours, aromas, depth, power and majestic tannins. Great length. It is quite impossible not to swallow it. I tasted this Margaux 1996 again at the château the same year with similar results. It is just beginning to open up. You can start enjoying it now and before 2030. Pleasure score: 17.5 // 94 LA TACHE 1996……………………. 16,25 // 89..................The bottle had been purchased Fairly deep and extremely evolved colour. Clean and refined nose of ripe pinot. Notes of crushed leaves upon swirling. Fizzy on entry then revealing beautiful aromas over a well-balanced structure. Slightly firm tannins on finish. Medium length. Bearing in mind the scores awarded by my fellow critics and the 1800 euros price tag, this wine’s performance was disappointing. The fizzy aspect is out of place. Pleasure score: 15.5 // 87-88 __________________________________________ 6th flight: 1982 with PICHON COMTESSE as the odd one out. The only flight for which the wines had not been decanted. For Pichon Comtesse and La Tâche the corks were soaked and noticeably tired. LA TACHE 1982…………………….. 15,75 // 88..................The bottle had been purchased The colour is too light. Delicate nose of fruit and coffee. Delightfully savoury and caressing on the palate with tastes and a hint of chicory running through. Medium length. Drink as soon as possible. Pleasure score : 15.5 // 87-88 MARGAUX 1982…………………….. 16,75 // 91 Fairly intense red and evolved in colour. Nose of smoke and fruit with an animal edge. Soft and smoky on entry then building with fat, aromas, savours, flesh and power. This Margaux 1982 is beautifully tasty and ends on a smoky note with tannins running through to the end. Average length. Ready for drinking now and before 2015. Not as good a performance as was expected. Pleasure score : 16.5 // 90 PICHON COMTESSE 1982………….. 16,25 // 89 Dark slightly evolved colour. Fruity and rather delicate nose. Generously broad and juicy on attack, it then builds with taste and plenty of tannins. The austere finish is not at all in the Pichon Comtesse style. This bottle is not up to the reputation of the château or the going price – quite annoying really! Cheers . Jean-Marc Quarin ___________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2010. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr. The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

2010 Chronicles

Chronicle 105. Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche Grand Cru versus château Margaux Vintages: 2005, 2001, 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1988 and 1982, purchased bottles

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