Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

Vosne-Romané, Cote-de-Nuits, Bourgogne, France

Widely considered one of the world's greatest and most prestigious wine producers. Domaine de la Romanée Conti takes its name from the Domaine's most famous vineyard, Romanée-Conti. Shrouded in mystery, and low in production (only 6-8000 cases produced annually), it would be an understatement to say these wines are highly sought- after.

Domaine de la Romanée Conti is co-owned by the de Villaine and Leroy/Roch families. The Domaine is today run by Aubert de Villaine and Henri-Frederic Roch. Many people in Burgundy just refer to 'DRC' as "the Domaine".

The domaine has 25 hectares of vineyards, all Grand Crus. As well as the the 1.8 hectare monopole La Romanée Conti,the Domaine purchased its other monopoly, La Tâche, in 1933, along with significant holdings in the grand crus of Richebourg, Romanée St Vivant, Grands-Echezeaux, Echezeaux and Le Montrachet at various points in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Domaine is the largest owners of each of the red wine grand crus.

The wines are made by Bernard Noblet in succession to his father André Noblet. Whole clusters are used (no destemming) with a long vatting time avoiding excesses of heat. Yields are exceedingly low and the winemaking is traditional and perfectionistic. These are not merely among the most sumptuous wines of Burgundy but certainly the most stylish. Ancestor Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet was an advocate of harvesting late in order to ensure optimum ripeness, a philosophy to which his descendants adhere today.