Earth-laced blackberries can be discerned in the nose of the 2001 La Tache. Suave, plush, and regal, it boasts loads of candied black fruits in its deep character. This supple wine reveals superb clarity of fruit and an impressively long, fruit-filled finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2012. Concerning the 2001s, de Villaine, the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti’s co-director, stated that “it was not an easy year, it was a real roller coaster for vignerons. The estate’s vineyards, like everyone in Burgundy, had rot infestations so we did two harvests, one for the best, healthiest bunches and then another. Of course, we meticulously sorted all the fruit as we always do.” Those readers who are always looking for news concerning the next vintage will be interested to hear the following. Unlike almost all his colleagues who said that 2002 was going to be a spectacular vintage, de Villaine informed me that it would “another irregular year.”

Strikingly extravagant nose of rose petals, oriental spices, pungent tea and leather notes plus ultra elegant pinot fruit. The powerful, chiseled, pure flavors are remarkably detailed, precise and fine with mind bending complexity yet for all the emotional drama of this wine, it remains understated and almost aloof at the moment. The finish is dense, structured and quite firm though there is nary a hard edge to be found and while this too cannot rival the other worldly 1999, 2001 will one day be thought of as a genuinely excellent vintage for La Tâche; in fact, it reminds me somewhat of the 1998 at the same stage of its development.