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Tasting notes
The 2008 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a well defined nose, brambly red fruit, autumn leaves, touches of loam and soy. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit, tart acidity, black pepper with quite a strict and linear finish. Cohesive, challenging and cerebral, this is an endearing Echézeaux that wears its heart on its sleeve. Drinking perfectly now, I am not convinced that continued bottle age will improve it further.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2008 Echézeaux Grand Cru is beginning to show signs of maturation, with a little bricking on the rim. It has a leafy bouquet, hints of stewed black tea and damp moss, more advanced than I would have expected after almost a decade. The palate is well balanced with a light tobacco stain on the red fruit, becoming more cohesive in the second half with just a little warmth on the aftertaste. I would drink this in the near future - I am not totally convinced that it is a long-term proposition. Tasted at the Bistro Roch in Nuits Saint-Georges.
The 2008 Echezeaux is a noticeable step up in quality from the Vosne-Romanee. This is a decidedly rich, powerful Echezeaux endowed with considerable muscle. The aromas and flavors build beautifully towards a dazzling, harmonious finish. The 2008 is a big Echezeaux that could use further time in the cellar. There is plenty of underlying structure to support a long life in the cellar. The 2008 is seriously impressive. If any wine can be said to represent ‘value’ among the Domaine’s 2008s, the Echezeaux is it. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038. tasted the 2008s in bottle in late June 2011 after having gone through the 2010s from barrel. Aubert de Villaine describes 2008 as a difficult vintage with a lot of rain. Botrytis was an issue and the vineyards required constant attention. On September 14 the weather changed dramatically. A steady north wind dried out the grapes and concentrated sugars quickly, which also reduced the size of the berries. A further selection of fruit lowered yields to an even greater extent, resulting in overall production that is as much as 50% lower than normal for the Domaine. As for the wines, they are magnificent in my view, but will require considerable patience. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661
About the producer
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or simply “DRC” is without doubt the most famous domaine in Burgundy and one of the most famous producers on earth. The Grand Cru vineyard from which it takes its name produces the world’s most expensive wine by a long margin.