Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) | Richebourg Grand Cru 2022 750ml

The domaine's own 2022 report reaches back to 1959 for a comparison, and its Richebourg went from 4,260 bottles in 2021 to 14,526.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti farms 3.5110 hectares of Richebourg, roughly 45 percent of the climat, in three parcels directly north of Romanée-Conti; the southernmost touches that vineyard, according to Fwines, the domaine's importer in Japan. The fruit comes from two lieux-dits, Les Richebourgs (2.57 ha) and Les Verroilles (0.94 ha), on marl and Prémeaux limestone like La Tâche. Nearly 0.9 hectare in Les Verroilles has been pulled up for replanting, which Charles Curtis MW (Decanter) credits with tightening the wine. The domaine's website puts the character bluntly: Richebourg is a king's musketeer who likes company, laughter and song, and wants the strength of his athlete's body admired.

The report the domaine wrote on 4 October 2022 says the year most recalls 1959, the only vintage it can compare for the ratio of quality to quantity. Flowering ran from about 20 to 30 May. Seventy-five millimetres of rain fell between 22 and 26 June; July and early August were hot and dry, and ripening stalled until 20 mm of storms on 15 to 18 August set it moving again. Richebourg was picked on 31 August and 1 and 4 September, early in a harvest of about fifteen days that left no empty tank in the cellar. Yield was 42.6 hl/ha from vines averaging 60 years, bottled 3 April 2024, per FINE+RARE. Farming has been biodynamic estate-wide since 2007; bunches go whole into wooden vats, and the wine is raised in new Tronçais oak with one racking and an egg-white fining.

Perrine Fenal, co-director with Bertrand de Villaine, calls the 2022s ripe but not heavy and says the Richebourg came back with more of its personality after the frost-shortened 2021. De Villaine puts the year ahead of 2018, 2019 and 2020 for balance.

In the glass

William Kelley (Wine Advocate, Feb 2025, 95) finds sweet plums and raspberry preserves with pipe tobacco, spice and orange zest, a light frame of new oak, and a full-bodied, layered palate. Neal Martin (Vinous, 98, as quoted by FINE+RARE) reads it as medium-bodied and mineral-driven, dark berries with oyster shell, lavender oil and wakame, white pepper on the finish, and one of the best Richebourgs in recent memory. Curtis (Decanter, 98, as quoted by Lincoln Fine Wines) notes more density and structure than from barrel.

When to open

Wine Advocate gives 2025 to 2055. The domaine itself speaks of accessibility and ageability in the same breath for 2022; our suggestion is to wait until 2030 and decant an hour if opened before then.

At the table

Our suggestion, not the domaine's: roast duck with cherries, or a plain rack of lamb.

Quick facts

Provenance

Sourced from the Japanese importer.

Sources: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti; Fwines (Japanese importer); Wine Advocate (W. Kelley); Vinous (N. Martin, as quoted by FINE+RARE); Decanter (C. Curtis MW, as quoted by Lincoln Fine Wines); Club Oenologique; Objective Foodie; Wine Shop Sommelier