The 2016 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, picked on September 27–28 at 27hL/ha, has a heavenly, perfumed nose of blackberry, briar, wet limestone, incense and pressed iris flowers, displaying much more fruit intensity than the Corton alongside. There are subtle graphite notes that develop with aeration - the old-school pencil box, though it is never more than a fleeting suggestion. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and quite rounded in the mouth, and that graphite tincture builds toward the second half. I adore the energy and balletic poise of this Romanée-Saint-Vivant as it deftly fans out toward the finish, exerting grip, but with the softest of touches, and offering deceiving weight and depth. A wine that exudes panache and sophistication. 1,304 cases produced. Drinking window: 2023-2050 (Neal Martin, Jan 2019, 96 Pts)
Imperial dense black purple, the nose is restrained at first though a floral headiness is lurking stems show a bit more. A little strictness in the mouth, the stems again, but there is a lovely whole berry intense violet and raspberry fruit, impressive intensity in its fine boned style. (Jasper Morris, Oct 2017, 95-98 Pts)
The 2016 Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru is super, bursting from the glass with a kaleidoscopic bouquet of potpourri, red berries, cassis, peony and rose petal. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and fine-boned, with tangy acids, superb concentration and an ample chassis of powdery structuring tannins, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. This is a Romanée-St-Vivant that exemplifies the intensity without the weight that distinguishes the Domaine's best wines, and it equals the fabulous 2015 rendition. (William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, 5th Jan 2019, 95 Pts)
Bright, dark red. Aromas of dark fruits, spices, musky torrefaction and sappy minerality. Extremely concentrated, dense and pure, conveying a sensational thickness for its vintage but a much more relaxed, juicier character than the Echézeaux and Grands-Echézeaux. The explosive rising finish conveys terrific early sweetness, a sexy wild quality and superb spicy persistence. Here the yield was a near-normal 26 hectoliters per hectare as only the highest sections of this vineyard and the estate's holding in Richebourg suffered any frost losses. (Stephen Tanzer, Jan 2018, 94-96 Pts)
