Conti Formentini
Cantine del Castello Conti
Il Rosso dell Donne Boca Nebbiolo Blend 2018
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2018 “Il Rosso delle Donne” pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart, mostly red fruits: Morello cherry, raspberries, strawberry, roses, a whiff of horse blanket, red rope licorice, dried green herbs, and dry gravel. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is a slightly wild but positively gorgeous example of a Nebbiolo-based blend from Alto Piemonte. There’s an old school feel about this that completely charms the heart. Too bad there is so little of it: the entire Boca DOC has less than 50 acres planted to vine. Castello Conti only made 3912 bottles of this gem. Drink now through 2048+. — 3 months ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Richebourg Pinot Noir 2017
DRC Richebourg 2017: A fragrance untainted by the world～
The 2017 DRC Richebourg is a perfume explosion—a captivating interplay of woody clove and spice, both flamboyant and impeccably controlled. As we tasted, I asked my friends if they knew of a perfume that echoed this wine's aroma. They replied they had never come across one, but would purchase it without hesitation if they did. To my nose, the closest relative would be L'Artisan Parfumeur’s Dzongkha.
It offers that bracing, airy coolness with smoky, peppery spices, laced with the subtle sweet-herbaceous touch of magnolia and clove—reminiscent of the complex scent that washes over you the moment you push open the massive door of an ancient, solitary temple: the crisp, thin air of the high altitudes meeting the first ethereal wisp of incense smoke. Then unfolds layers of ancient wood, the dust of old books, musk, and earthy vetiver. The overall character is intensely crystalline, spiritual, and weightless—evoking visions of high plateaus and vast wilderness, of isolated lamaseries. Some DRCs also possess a temple-like quality, but theirs is a temple down here among us, bustling with devotees and heavy with the common smoke of popular devotion— a more earthly presence. — 21 hours ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
La Tâche Pinot Noir 2012
2012 vintage. Nearly perfect fill and cork. Decanted with infinitesimal sed. Aggro rhubarb and cranberry nose. Tasted 30 mins, 1 hour and 3 hours post-decant. Medium body. Excellent focus/concentration. The rhubarb and cranberry still chilling along with a modicum of lemongrass (?!?!) and dark cherry. Lengthy finish redolent of artificial strawberry/strawberry Jolly Rancher candy. Bit of a bucking bronco versus finesse and souplesse. 08.01.25. — a month ago
Conti Fassini
Villa Fassini Toscana Sangiovese Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Great with lasagna. Good value. Very smooth. — 3 months ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Grands Échézeaux Pinot Noir 1989
Really great clarity and color. Do beautiful and complex. Plum and anise and roses and an absolutely gorgeous detailed long finish. Stunning — 7 days ago
Conti Capponi
Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Sangiovese
Clean, dry and fruity on the back end — 17 days ago
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
Romanée-St. Vivant Pinot Noir 2010
Tasting de tatcher en magnum — 2 months ago
Her Mir Tage
The Legendary 1990 and 2005 Vintages, and the 'Rouge' Aroma They Revealed!
I was meeting friends for a tasting, and I said I would bring a wine with a "rouge aroma" (*Yānzhī xiāng*). My friend also promised to open one with the same scent. If it's a cool vintage, a DRC might not reveal that distinctive rouge scent, but it's more common in warmer vintages, especially older ones from hot years. Of course, 2005 is a legendary vintage—it was warm but with significant diurnal temperature variation, resulting in balanced acidity and concentration, which also creates a very strong structure.
Thankfully, the 1990 Clos de Tart, despite having a very low fill level, wasn't spoiled. Its condition wasn't as potent as a previous bottle I had opened. This one took about 1.5 hours to fully open up in the glass. When it did, it revealed that signature Jiangnan "rouge" scent—very soft, enchanting, and feminine—along with some notes of dried longan. The fruit was balanced, though the acidity was relatively weak.
Today, I'll mainly write about this DRC. Its structure is incredibly powerful. For the first two hours, it was very closed. I believe this wine needed at least four hours of decanting, primarily because the 2005s, despite being a warm year, aren't that easy to open up. The aromas only started to slowly emerge around the third hour, and we were using large decanters and glasses, waiting for a long time. Initially, for the first half-hour after opening, there was a reductive note that was a bit funky. Later, after it opened up, the nose was primarily an interplay of cypress pine, violets, and that rouge scent intertwined. Honestly, this wine felt androgynous to me—it evokes an image of a knight and a princess playing in a forest. It wasn't overly soft, and its layers were incredibly complex.
On the palate, it was abundant: primarily black fruit, sour plum, sandalwood, coffee beans, a hint of dark chocolate, and a touch of earthy notes. The tannins weren't very soft—but then again, I'm so accustomed to drinking old wines. I feel this wine will need another 10 years to truly reach its peak. Its structure is exceptionally strong, unfolding layer by layer, with beautifully balanced acidity.
Comparing these two wines, their styles are completely different. One could say it's a contrast between an iconic Eastern beauty and a Western princess. I personally adore the soft and elegant style, but the 2005 is a wine with immense structure—it possesses a feminine power that is very potent, almost like the vision of a woman holding authority in a man's world.
Drinking such magnificent wines brings me great joy! — 3 days ago