The 2008 Romanee St. Vivant is pure seduction. The aromatics alone are breathtaking, but the RSV is truly firing on all cylinders. Curiously, today the RSV is quite a bit rounder and suppler than the Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux. It shows remarkable silkiness, inner perfume and nobility. A seamless finish rounds things out in style. My instincts tell me this will firm up in bottle, but frankly I am a bit mystified that hasn’t happened yet. Today, this doesn’t look like a super long-term ager within the context of the domaine’s very finest wines. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. tasted the 2008s in bottle in late June 2011 after having gone through the 2010s from barrel. Aubert de Villaine describes 2008 as a difficult vintage with a lot of rain. Botrytis was an issue and the vineyards required constant attention. On September 14 the weather changed dramatically. A steady north wind dried out the grapes and concentrated sugars quickly, which also reduced the size of the berries. A further selection of fruit lowered yields to an even greater extent, resulting in overall production that is as much as 50% lower than normal for the Domaine. As for the wines, they are magnificent in my view, but will require considerable patience. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Aromas of strawberry, cherry and rose are very pure, if reserved, and this possesses an inner beauty. Translucent, yet firm and austere, with fine length.—Non-blind 2008 DRC tasting (February 2011). Best from 2015 through 2038.??–BS??Region: France / Burgundy / Romanée St.-Vivant Select to Add