2003 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux Grand Cru 1x150cl

Vinous 90

Deep red-ruby. Musky aromas of dark raspberry, chocolate and underbrush, along with an exotic floral quality. Large-scaled, concentrated and round, with impressive volume. Slightly roasted flavors of currant, chocolate, tobacco and underbrush. Finishes with substantial fine tannins and a sense of solidity. This should offer early appeal. [Stephen Tanzer, 03/01/2006]

Robert Parker 86

A slightly dulled ruby, dark brick hue. Quite a potent nose: not complex with aromas of raspberry, a touch of cold steel, even a little cedar. Not an ebullient nose, a little broody. A firm entry on the palate, good weight, paradigmatic of the vintage in that there is solid fruit concentration but not so much elegance. Raspberry, strawberry – quite spicy on the mid-palate. A little disjointed at the moment with a touch alcohol on the finish. Very emblemic of the vintage. Good but not great. (865 cases produced) Tasted February 2006. [01/02/2006]

JancisRobinson.com 17.0

Bright crimson, quite deep. Very rich, intense exceptionally concentrated nose – cheese to the chalk of 2001! Something more of the undergrowth than usual about it on the nose. Bright fruit hits the front palate and then there’s a lovely spread across it. Very rich but with more freshness than many 2003 burgs. Slightly dry notes on the finish though. Very flattering and lively. Not desperately long. Many other tasters were beguiled by this particular wine, especially in comparison to the much more backward Grands-Echezéaux, but UK importer Adam Brett-Smith, who has tasted these wines four times now, claims that usually 2003 Grands-Echezéaux tastes streets ahead of the Echezéaux. [13/02/2006]

Anticipated maturity: 2007-2012