The extroverted 2001 Romanee-Conti is medium to dark ruby-colored and displays intensely spicy black cherry aromas. Juicy, supple, as well as packed with spiced, candied black fruits, this medium-bodied wine is concentrated, lush, and velvety-textured. It reveals more tannin than its siblings, yet it is ripe and enveloped in fruit. Projected maturity: 2005-2014. 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.” Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661