La Tache 2014 Domaine de la Romanee Conti

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Robert Parker (96)

The 2014 La Tâche Grand Cru was picked on 17, 18 and 20 September at 32 hectoliters per hectare, bottled between 1 and 25 April 2016. It has a quite startling bouquet: dark berry fruit, bay leaf, hints of jasmine tea and autumn leaves. It delivers multi-faceted aromatics, a mercurial bouquet, brown spices emerging with continued aeration in the glass. It is a tad more forward than I expected. The palate is medium-bodied with great structure and fine grip. This is a slightly more masculine La Tâche and replicating its performance in barrel, the fruit spectrum shimmies from red to black (incidentally, exactly as I observed when I tasted it in barrel). There is a lovely lift on the finish that leaves you with a piquant kiss on the cheek. This is wonderful. 1,929 cases produced. Tasted February 2017.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Lightish garnet. Like the Richebourg, there is an initial sweetness here. Smells so cool and delicately fragrant. Then on the palate, there is real power, the tannins holding everything in tightly as on the Grands Échezeaux but here the acidity spills around the edges and lifts it to terrific intensity on the palate. Firm, chalky texture but still fluid. Long and so refined that the power is disguised. In the empty glass, there is a return to fruit sweetness, showing the complexity and range in this wine. (JH)

BOW (9)