Featuring black cherry, black currant, violet, graphite, sandalwood and oak spice aromas and flavors, this silky red is pure and seductive. There's also a firm underlying structure, with its saturated fruit fused to an ironclad frame. Shows superb harmony and an extended aftertaste. Best from 2028 through 2050. (Bruce Sanderson, USA, September 2024)

Extremely fine, youthful nose with a totally fascinating floral beauty. Incredibly silky, this great Burgundy masterpiece shines with breathtaking finesse, the enormous concentration and power totally underplayed. Super-long and super-refined finish with gigantic mineral freshness. It feels as if the wine puts you on a silver tray and lifts you up to the heavens. Drink or hold. (Stuart Pigott, June 2024)

The pure and strikingly elegant nose combines notes of wonderfully spicy aromas of black cherry and exotic Asian-style tea that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. There is fine volume to the velvety and seductively textured flavors that possess excellent richness yet fine detail on the hugely long if decidedly firm finale where touches of austerity and warmth appear. In a word, excellent. (Issue 94, April 2024, USA)

This Romanee-Saint-Vivant is still a bit shy, but with some aeration Amaro cherry and licorice notes develop. Very structured with the concentration to carry this, but still tightly wound. Try to be patient with this one, because the finish has a lot of power. Try from 2026.

Moderate wood and menthol elements stop short of overshadowing the exotic tea, plum and dark pinot scents. The notably finer, though not
denser, middleweight flavours exude a bracing salinity on the firm and youthfully austere inhale where an interesting hint of bitter chocolate character emerges.

This is opulent for the vintage, exhibiting black cherry, blackberry, mineral, sandalwood and oak spice notes, backed by a dense matrix of tannins. This is also less expressive, suggesting a grander appellation in the hierarchy, yet with a lot of latent fruit. That said, the length and persistence on the finish reveals this wine's potential. Best from 2026 through 2043. B.S.

A nose that has a bit more energy and overt delivery of complexity - less of the serenity of the Chambertin - here with more spiced energy. A large-scaled wine of much complexity and good energy too. A super finish - almost a haunting length here. The hardest of the three Grand Crus to taste, yet the one with the 'most.' All three will reward your patience but wait for this a little longer.

An enormously dense and refined wine that expresses all that great red Burgundy is about. Gigantic concentration, but stunning balance that really blows your mind. Spectacular finish that leaves you wondering what to do next. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.

Moderate wood and menthol influences set off wonderfully spicy aromas of slightly exotic herbal tea, dark pinot fruit and a whiff of sandalwood. There is excellent intensity to the rich and delicious middle weight flavors that possess a wonderfully refined mouthfeel that carries over to the firm, dusty and balanced finale. This too will need to add depth with time in bottle but overall, it appears slightly more promising than the Chambertin.

This red is saturated with succulent black cherry, kirsch, graphite and tobacco aromas and flavors, all wrapped in a cloak of toasty, spicy oak. Offers a core of fruit that emerges as the oak subsides, yet this will need time to fully integrate. Best from 2027 through 2048.

This is like staring into an abyss, but being overwhelmed with joy. The essence of fine pinot noir and of Burgundy, which you don't need to be any kind of expert to appreciate. Enormously concentrated, but so graceful, this makes you want to forget everything else you are supposed to be doing. Lean back and let yourself be overwhelmed. Drink or hold.

"Moderate wood and menthol influences stop short of fighting with the much spicier and more expressive aromas of plum liqueur, violet and exotic jasmine tea. There is very good volume and reasonably good detail to the nicely textured and lingering finale where the only nit is enough warmth to mention." 2034+

This is like staring into an abyss, but being overwhelmed with joy. The essence of fine pinot noir and of Burgundy, which you don't need to be any kind of expert to appreciate. Enormously concentrated, but so graceful, this makes you want to forget everything else you are supposed to be doing. Lean back and let yourself be overwhelmed. Drink or hold.

"The king of the cellar is the 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Les Quatre Journaux, a full-bodied, layered and muscular wine that's rich and concentrated, evocative of peonies, blackberries and exotic spices. Long and penetrating, this is very promising."

Sumptuous black cherry flickers across the nose on this wine in tantalizing fashion, only to disappear again. The palate provides a firm but smooth channel for all this ripe, smooth and aromatic fruit. Compact, profound and structured, the velvety body also flexes with muscle. Energy pulses below the surface. Forbidding for now, the wine is certain to relax into pleasure.

A dense, layered young red with extraordinary depth and power. Muscular, yet so balanced and polished. The ripe strawberry and cherry character is impressive with hints of hazelnuts and mushrooms. But it's the texture that makes it great. It's an indication of the superb structure. Try after 2025.

This is a beauty, its ripe cherry, blackberry and blueberry fruit meshing seamlessly with the silky texture and well-integrated structure. Mineral, earth and a hint of chocolate accents add detail, as this cruises to a long, fresh, spice-tinged finish. It just keeps expanding. Best from 2023 through 2036.  — BS

A more restrained application of woods sets off the moderately ripe yet still reasonably fresh nose that combines notes of plum liqueur, copious spice, exotic tea and violet. The impressively rich, velvety and seductuve medium-bodied flavors possess good amounts of sappy dry extract that buffers the notably firm but fine tannins on the dusty and solidly persistent finish. This too should age gracefully. 2030+

The Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Beaux Mont is very promising this year (surprisingly structured), but this consistently impressive RSV, from the heart of this special site, is predictably better still. Deep ruby. A very lovely nose: gentle, but fresh and intense, too, with roseate seduction. Characteristically elegant on entry, with very fine-grain, free-flowing tannin, but there is plenty of support there, too, and greater graceful tenacity than usual through the fresh, flourishing finish. (Neil Beckett, cask sample)

The king of the cellar is Latour's 2018 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Les Quatre Journaux, an ample and enveloping wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries, dark chocolate, rich spices and orange rind. Full-bodied, fleshy and muscular, it's supple and broad-shouldered, concluding with a long and expansive finish. 

Again a very dark colour. Like the Chambertin, there's a depth of ripe fruit that's faintly accented by an impression of higher alcohol - slowly widening with a more floral aspect. Sweeping shape and lines - this has fine energy and even more scale than the Chambertin - it's really impressive. The nose didn't tell much of the story, but in the mouth this is a tour de force.

Cask sample. Mid to deep cherry red. Scented with both red and dark fruit. Lovely harmony between juicy, scented dark-red fruit and super-fine, deliciously dry tannins. The most expressive of the Louis Latour grand cru reds and the most persistent. Elegant and promising a long future. (JH, UK)

Fine purity accents the cherry, strawberry, cinnamon and toast aromas and flavors. Concentrated and fluid, with a supple texture and intensity that builds to a lingering finish. Terrific length. Best from 2023 through 2038 - Bruce Sanderson

Aromas of raspberries, exotic spices, dried flowers and candied peel preface the 2017 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Les Quatre Journaux, a full-bodied, ample wine that's broader shouldered and more structured than even Latour's Chambertin, with a deep, layered core of juicy balancing acids, concluding with a long finish. It's a definite success. (cask sample)

A nice floral here. Here is depth, and energy - the flavour is slightly behind the energy - but that will come. Mouth watering, spiced, delicious!

A lovely sense of vibrancy and delineation before concluding in a reasonably long but drying
finish.

A very fitting climax to the range of reds here, from a very special parcel owned by the Latour family since 1898. Medium-deep ruby. Magical nose: very fine, intense, intricate petits fruits rouges and heady rose. Dense but elegant and fresh, with a silken texture and proper grand cru scale, seamless from top to bottom. Noble. - Neil Beckett

Very pure dense purple, a nose of great quality and precision, this is a substantial, vibrant Romanée St Vivant. It offers a huge wealth of really classy fruit, which surges across the palate, quality and density both very impressive. Pretty persistent at the back, the vineyard is in control here. Great density again at the finish, tannins present but overlaid by the front, enough acidity. (Tasted prior to bottling)

This structured wine comes from the-Grand Cru of Vosne-Romanée. It does have the structure and density of the wines from this run of grand crus, with bold tannins over the red-cherry fruits. (USA)

Though packed with black currant, blueberry, and cherry fruit, this red is wrapped up in a firm structure today, giving an austere feel. All the components are in the right proportion and there's no denying the saturated aftertaste that echoes the core of cherry.

Excellent concentration to the succulent, lacy and almost delicate mid-palate that contrasts considerably with the sappy, powerful and equally long finale. This is a powerful RSV that should reward extended keeping. 2030+ Allen Meadows (USA)

So perfumed and aromatic with fabulous character of flowers, dark berries and chalk. Full-bodied and voluptuous. Ripe and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. A wine with great potential and depth. Flamboyant. Drink in 2022.

Super-ripe but not jammy nose of exquisite fruit showing great purity and finesse. This is a seamless wine with seductive fruit and a firm, tannic structure. Poised, intense and very long, with an impeccable balance. Drink 2020-2040. (UK)

Big, perfumed. Dark fruit - lots of aromatic complexity here. Mouth-filling, complex, textured, everything, but nothing in excess - really a very fine weight of finishing flavour that spreads out in the finish a long, slow-moving wave of flavour - and sticks! Great persistence. Super wine, very good RSV! Bill Nanson (UK)

A beautiful and sexy red with blueberry and blackberry character. Hints of coffee and spices. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Very fine and pretty. Delicious now, but there's plenty of backbone and structure for the future. Powerful underneath it all. Drink or hold.

This elegant version exudes black currant, cherry, boysenberry and spice flavors, tinged by violet hints. Though lean and taut, this finishes long, with grainy tannins coming to the fore. Should unwind nicely in two to three years. Best from 2019 through 2035. By Bruce Sanderson (USA)

A Journal is an old Burgundian measurement for just under one acre. From a portion of this Grand Cru vineyard, this wine is perfumed, powerful and has great concentration. Already it is showing dark fruits, ripe plum and good texture. Acidity cuts through the wine, giving a great lift at the end. Drink from 2022.

This was just amazing for its opulence and freshness, a wine that has weight as well as utter refinement. Ripe red and dark fruits abound, black cherry and cassis, with some floral and touches of pepper on the juicy full bodied palate, that has a silky texture. Yes, there was some oak derivation but quite well integrated and a very long finish. Greatness.

A gorgeously complex and intensely spicy nose offers up notes of plum, cassis, black cherry, dried rose petal and sandalwood. The silky, supple and energetic middle weight flavors possess a highly sophisticated mouth feel that is enhanced by the notably fine-grained tannins that appear on the caressing and harmonious finale that delivers simply marvelous length. This too is going to need ample time but in contrast to some of the bigger and more powerful wines in the range, this should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years of cellaring. /2029+

Allen Meadows

A very subtle aromatic start. Here is width, layers, a good faintly grained texture, waves of slowly rolling flavours. A little diffuse that whole performance today, but there is weight, concentration, complexity and interest. I think it will be excellent. The last drops in the glass have more overt weight and interest - surely will be a super wine. (cask sample). By Bill Nanson (UK)

Alluring peony, strawberry and wild cherry aromas offer immediate appeal, with accents of white pepper and mineral on the palate. The finish suggests deferring enjoyment for another three to five years. Shows fine harmony and length overall. Best from 2019 through 2033. By Bruce Sanderson (USA).

The 2012 Romanée St Vivant les Quatre Journaux Grand Cru from Louis Latour has the classiest nose of three Romanée Saint Vivant encountered, mineral-rich red berry fruit, effortless and surfeit with class. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, wonderful acidity and poise, silky smooth in the mouth with great precision on the lightly spiced finish. This might just well be the best recent vintage of any wine that I have ever tasted from Louis Latour. To say it drew gasps of surprise when its identity is revealed is no exaggeration. By Neal Martin (USA)