It is often considered to be the most significant vineyard in the world, with its headquarters in the town of Romanee-Conti. The almost 800-year history of political intrigue, royal scandal, criminal schemes, and plenty of mystery has surrounded the production of the rarest wine on the market in the Burgundy area of France.
We’ll take you on a journey through the intriguing history of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti in the next section. And we’ll tell you where you may go to get a bottle to add to your collection.
Heritage of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti in a nutshell
During the 13th century, the vineyard was administered by the local monastery, The Abbey of Saint-Vivant in Vosne, which is whence the name Domaine de la Romanee-Conti was from. Before then, it is believed that the grapes were farmed by the Romans, who gave them the name “Romanée.”
The vineyard was a fraction of its current size at the time of this photo. It fell into the hands of the Croonembourge family in the 1600s, who also increased their holdings by acquiring the region known as La Tâche (from which the legendary La Tâche wine of the DRC derives its name).
The vineyard was purchased by the haughty Prince of Conti in the 1700s. Not only did he give his name to the property and the wine is produced, but he also refused to share a single bottle of the Romanee-Conti vintages with anybody, not even close friends and family.
The Duvault-Blochet family has been in charge of the winery since the mid-nineteenth century. They obtained more areas that currently comprise the current eight vineyards held by DRC and developed the company into the world-renowned winery that it is today.
Despite the fact that the original 4.5 acres, which had been nurtured by French monks and Romans before them, continues to produce the winery’s most cherished wine—the Romanée-Conti—the winery’s most prized wine is no longer produced there.
The World’s Most Sought-After Wine
The vines at Domaine de la Romanee-Conti are situated on some of the finest wine-producing soil in the world. Not only are all of their wines classified as Grand Crus, but their vineyards are also recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well.
When you consider the history and status of the vineyard, it’s easy to see why the wine is in such great demand.
Unfortunately, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti only produces 6000 cases of wine each year, causing the demand for its wines to soar to unimaginably high levels.
The Domaine de la Romanee-Conti has broken the world record for the most costly wines sold at auction on two separate occasions. Several bottles of the 1945 vintage (a very scarce vintage for obvious reasons) sold for $496,000 and $558,000, respectively, at the 2018 auction.
Even fresh vintages can set you back a hefty sum. Choosing the “cheapest” option, the Echézeaux, will cost you more than $2,000. The renowned Romanée-Conti wine sells for little more than $21,000 a bottle.
Cellaraiders.com offers current and collectible vintages of DRC wine at rates that are far lower than retail.
The Wines of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee Conti Wine Bottles
The following is a list of the wines made by DRC:
Romanée-Conti
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
Production per year: 1,150 cases
Approximately $21,000 in price
La Tâche is an abbreviation for the term “trouble.”
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
1.870 cases are produced annually.
Price: about $5,200
Richebourg
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
Production per year: 1000 cases
Price: about $3600
Romanée-St-Vivant
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
Production each year: 1500 cases
Price: around $3000
Great Echezeaux is a French word that means big ears.
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
Production per year: 1,150 cases
Approximately $2800 in price
Échezeaux
Pinot Noir is the variety in question.
Production per year: 1,340 cases
Price: around $2500
Montrachet
Chardonnay is the grape variety.
250 cases are produced annually.
The cost is around $8600.
Vintages that are most in-demand
The 1945 Romanée-Conti is unquestionably the most popular vintage from DRC. Throughout the wine world, this vintage has achieved a near-mythical stature, and it has been referred to as “timeless perfection” by the gods.
Unfortunately, a bottle will most certainly cost you half a million dollars—and that’s if you can locate one at all.
Never fear, recent vintages of the Romanée-Conti are also among the most well regarded in the winery’s lengthy history, with bottles from 2015, 2018, and 2019 being among the most highly regarded. Additionally, they are substantially less expensive.
Among the other famous vintages from DRC are:
Richebourg was founded in 1934. La Tâche 2015 is a yearly event that takes place on the last day of the month of April. The Tâche 1962 is a 1962 French film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. Échezeaux 1978 Romanée Conti 1980 Romanée Conti 1980 Échezeaux 1978 The Grands Échezeaux will be held in 2019. 2018 is the year of the Romanée-St-Vivant. Montrachet 2017 is a red wine produced by the Montrachet winery in France.
Here is where you can get Domaine de la Romanee-Conti wine from these vintages and others.
How to Identify a Fake Wine
- The wines of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti are among the most counterfeited in the world, owing to the exorbitant price they command.
- Fortunately, with a little guidance from history, it is not difficult to identify a forgery.
- Over the years, the winery has used a variety of different labels, bottles, serial numbers, and importers. Ensure that the label and the bottle are historically correct before purchasing a bottle.
- For example, some vintages of La Tâche have the wine’s name spelled with a circumflex accent (), while others do not.
- Details like these might be a dead giveaway in a case of identity theft. However, you must research the vintage.
- Unfortunately, forgeries will only become more difficult to detect as the demand for DRC wine among wealthy customers in Asia continues to increase. If you’re searching for a rare vintage, it’s a good idea to talk with an expert before making a purchase.
Alternatively, you may purchase DRC wine via Cellaraiders, which guarantees its authenticity. We solicit the help of specialists to inspect and authenticate each bottle of our great wines before they are listed on our website, allowing you to build your collection with confidence.
Where to Look for Wine from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
The wines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the most difficult to find. Because only 6000 cases are created each year, the supply is very restricted, and the demand is increasing at an exponential rate.
Furthermore, unless you’re a real VIP with a reservation, it’s quite impossible to tour the vineyard or purchase wine on-site.
Sotheby’s and Christie’s are the auction houses that sell the most renowned vintages. Private dealers, on the other hand, often post their bottles for reduced costs online. Bottles of DRC may be found all over the internet, albeit the majority of merchants are untrustworthy.
Cellaraiders is a more convenient method to purchase wine from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We never post bottles that are purchased directly from private vendors.
We purchase the wine ourselves, check its authenticity, and only list it after we are certain that it is genuine. In real-time, we refresh our inventory and offer bottles at inexpensive, flat-rate prices—there are no price rises or auctions to worry about.
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