Domaine de la Romanee-Conti St. Vivant 2004

Medium red. Aromas of red cherry and Oriental spices, with a liqueur-like aspect. Sweet, aromatic and penetrating, with lovely acidity giving shape and life to the silky, slowly mounting flavors. In a distinctly feminine style, and more expressive in the mouth today than the Grands-Echezeaux. A supple, suave, sappy wine with a light touch. Finishes long, with dusty tannins.

Deep red. Sexy, highly perfumed nose offers red fruits, cocoa powder and earth. Dense and sappy, showing more energy and cut today than the Grands-Echezeaux. Also conveys strong soil tones but here therersquo;s a compelling mid-palate sweetness and the tannins are quite fine.

A deft touch of wood frames exuberantly expressive and luxurious black fruit nose nuanced by a huge range of spices including anise, clove and cinnamon with notes of tea and hoisin as well. The moderately full flavors are sappy, rich and sweet with a... Burghound. A Pinot Noir wine from Burgundy in France. 2004 Romanee Conti, Domaine de la Romanee St Vivant 750ml

Steven Tanzers International Wine Cellar ReviewMedium red. Aromas of red cherry and Oriental spices, with a liqueur-like aspect. Sweet, aromatic and penetrating, with lovely acidity giving shape and life to the silky, slowly mounting flavors. In a distinctly feminine style, and more expressive in the mouth today than the Grands-Echezeaux. A supple, suave, sappy wine with a light touch. Finishes long, with dusty tannins.

Just as this yearrsquo;s Echezeaux challenges the quality of the Grands-Echezeaux, another surprise of the vintage is a spectacular showing for the 2005 Romanee-St.-Vivant. A startlingly dark, mouth-watering amalgam of purple plum paste, blackberry preserves, bitter chocolate, toasted walnut, soy, and raw beef intrigues the nose. On the palate, this cleaves to the dark side, with viscous, mouth-coating concentration of lightly-cooked black fruits, charred meat, mysterious forest floor complexity, and bitter-sweet florality, but simultaneously delivers a vibratory finish like that of the energetic Grands-Echezeaux. With its palpable extract, profound personality, and refined but abundant tannins, this is surely wine to set aside for at least a decade.