Tasting Notes and Pairing Advice for the Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru "Marey-Monge" 2020 – Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Tasting

Color
The wine shows a deep, dazzling ruby color, bright and luminous, typical of a Pinot Noir with sufficient but never excessive coloring matter.

Nose
The nose opens on a complex array of red and black fruit — cherry, raspberry and blackberry — interwoven with delicate floral notes of rose and violet. Fine spices such as clove and cinnamon add further nuance, alongside a touch of sweet pepper and a subtle hint of undergrowth.

Palate
The palate reveals a silky, almost velvety texture, with a pure attack of red and black fruit that gradually gives way to delicate spice and floral nuances, underpinned by a fine mineral thread. The acidity is crisp and brings real freshness, while the alcohol melts seamlessly into the whole without any sense of heat. The finish is remarkably long and resonant, leaving an impression of finesse that lingers well after tasting.

Food and wine pairings

This grand cru pairs beautifully with fine white meats served in creamy mushroom sauces, such as roasted chicken with morels, as well as with delicate preparations of veal, particularly sweetbreads browned in butter and accompanied by wild mushrooms. Roasted game birds — partridge, pheasant or quail — stuffed with herbs also make an elegant match. Truffle-based dishes, whether a simple truffled potato purée or a gratin, echo the tertiary nuances the wine will develop with age.

Serving and cellaring

At this stage, the Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru "Marey-Monge" 2020 shows a tighter structure than some other grands crus of the domaine, suggesting real potential for extended cellaring. According to critic assessments, this wine should continue to develop over the long term, with an estimated drinking window extending to around 2065.

Other characteristics

The alcohol content stands at around 13–13.5%, reflecting a style built on balance rather than raw power.

A Vosne-Romanée grand cru that unites silkiness and depth, from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

The Estate

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is a Burgundy estate whose civil company was formally established in 1942 in Vosne-Romanée, following the union of the Gaudin de Villaine and Leroy families, who each hold 50% of the shares to this day. The estate cultivates close to 27.35 hectares, including monopoles such as Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, alongside substantial holdings in Richebourg, Échezeaux, Grands Échezeaux and Romanée-Saint-Vivant. Today, the estate is led by associate-managers Perrine Fenal and Bertrand de Villaine, continuing a tradition of organic and biodynamic viticulture.

The Vineyard

The Marey-Monge portion of Romanée-Saint-Vivant, owned by the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti since 1988, extends over more than five hectares on a gently sloping, east-facing site. The soils are fine, well-drained clay-limestone resting on Bajocian limestone bedrock, offering a balanced water supply ideal for Pinot Noir. The vines, with an average age of around forty years and propagated through massale selection, are farmed organically and biodynamically, with strictly limited yields to concentrate quality.

The Vintage

The 2020 growing season in Burgundy was marked by warm, dry conditions with episodes of summer heat. Careful management of the vines and well-timed harvesting allowed the fruit to reach full ripeness while preserving a notable freshness, a balance that proved particularly successful on this terroir.

Winemaking and aging

The Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru "Marey-Monge" 2020 was vinified following the estate's traditional approach, with whole-cluster fermentation and a long maceration at moderate temperatures to preserve the delicacy of the fruit. Native yeasts are relied upon throughout, with minimal intervention in the cellar. Aging takes place in oak barrels, including a significant though carefully measured proportion of new wood, allowing the oak to integrate harmoniously without dominating the wine's character.

Grape Varieties

100% Pinot Noir.