Romanée Conti, Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2018

This is arguably the most floral-inflected nose in the range and, somewhat unusually, it's just as spicy as the La Tâche despite being as cool and restrained as it always is at this early stage. The focused, intense and beautifully well-delineated flavors are an exercise in refined and focused power, all wrapped in intensely mineral-inflected, youthfully austere and superbly persistent finish where a hint of warmth slowly emerges. In much the same fashion as the La Tâche, this is compact, backward and very tightly coiled yet the Zen-like sense of harmony is very much present. I was knocked out by just how marvelous this is and while it's obviously much too early to be tossing around "one of the greatest ever" accolades, it's at least possible that the 2018 RC could well be a candidate, which is of course really saying something. (Drink starting 2043)

A gorgeous glowing imperial purple with no black to it. The bouquet is, understandably, the most complete of them all and hones us in on the majesty to follow. The wine is leaping around all across the palate, depth, breadth, weight, can one measure the flesh, and all with the most extraordinary harmonious finish. The others round the table are enthusiastically lauding La Tâche but even so…..this one is my wine! Or would be if I could. The peppery finish only adds to the nobility of this extraordinary wine.