| Score: |
94 JG.
"The 1979 La Tâche was a wine that was never racked, as it was prior to the institution of an assemblage of six barrels prior to bottling that was instituted in the early 1980s. As a result, this is one of the youngest 1979s that one is likely to come across, and is often a favorite of the Domaine for blind tasting after a visit to barrel sample the newest vintage. The nose is truly gorgeous, offering up notes of red cherries and raspberries, woodsmoke, coffee, game notes, orange rind, sous bois, strong LT soil tones and a potpourri of spice. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite penetrating for a 1979, with a firm spine of acidity, still a touch of tannin, and very impressive length and grip on the finish. Served alongside the very perfumed 1980, the 1979 took a while to really open up and catch the 1980, but it ultimately edged out that wine by a nose." John Gilman, View From the Cellar, Bonus Articles, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s La Tâche: Evolution of a Domaine (January 2001, June 2003) |