The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's 50 best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
Well-cared for vines, strictly controlled yields and as late as possible harvest produces an aromatic and opulent wine. Deeply coloured, La Tâche develops a palate of extraordinary aromas of dark fruits, truffle and spices.
Rich and concentrated, its bouquet releases infinite tones that melt in the mouth to form a lovely ensemble – always exceptional, even in the difficult vintages. Hence in 1950 and 1951, it was the only wine in the domaine that was bottled.
Like many other Burgundy properties, the parcel La Tâche was originally connected to a monastery. It was then owned by two different families, one of which was the Joly de Bévy, who were dispossessed during the Revolution.
Later owned by the Basire and then the Liger-Belair families, the remaining part of La Tâche was purchased by the emblematic Domaine de La Romanée-Conti in 1933, joining the other mythical crus of Grands-Échézeaux, Échézeaux and Richebourg. From this vintage, La Tâche, solely
owned by one single domaine, became a ‘Cru Monopole’.
It is of course rare, producing 20,000 bottles per year, and is highly sought after by wine connoisseurs around the world, particularly in Asia.
La Tâche remains more accessible in price than the iconic cru of the domaine, DRC, yet it is also regarded as an icon with legendary status.
Buying a bottle of La Tâche, even in a lesser vintage, not only provides an extraordinary pleasure when opening the wine, but, if not opened, will give a certain guarantee of a comfortable appreciation in the medium term.
Romanée-Conti lies on brown limestone soils 60 cm deep with a major clay component. Romanée-Saint-Vivant has similar but deeper (90 cm) soils. Higher up, La Romanée occupies a markedly sloping site (12%) and the soil texture is less clayey. La Tâche and La Grande Rue share brown limestone soils, rather shallow at the top end with deeper rendzinas lower down. The same is true for the Richebourg, depending on slope and aspect. The underlying rock is hard Premeaux limestone dating from the Jurassic (175 million years BC).
Lying between Flagey-Échezeaux (home of the ÉCHEZEAUX appellation) and Nuits-Saint-Georges, Vosne-Romanée occupies a middle position in the Côte de Nuits. The vines grow at altitudes of 250 to 310 metres and face east or, in some cases, slightly south of east. Vosne-Romanée, the central jewel in the necklace of appellations which is the burgundian côte, is not content with holding a mere four aces but boasts a total of six Grands Crus, each one famous the world over. A thousand years ago, it was the Cluniac monks of Saint-Vivant de Vergy and the Cistercians of Cîteaux who first realised the value of these very special plots of land.
One of these vineyards takes its name from Prince Conti who lost his heart to it in 1760. Romanée-Conti is one of the wonders ofthe world and has always been a singly-held entity. Next door to it, Romanée-Saint-Vivant recalls the medieval monastery of the Hautes-Côtes which is currently undergoing restoration and which is linked to it by its own path. La Romanée, La Tâche and La Grande Rue are also singly-held entities, as is Richebourg, whose mere name is enough to fill a glass.
These Grands Crus frequently give good results from long laying-down. As a general rule, they shouldn't be drunk under about ten years of age but sometimes they will be aged up to 20 or 30 years. Each appellation has its own distinct personality depending on its year of production and on the stage it has reached in its development. These flamboyant red wines fully express the subtlety and complexity of the Burgundian Pinot Noir grape. Their colour is a dark ruby turning crimson with age. Their wide-ranging bouquet is divided among small red and black fruits, violet, spices and, with time, underbrush. On the palate, this wine is well-defined with a powerful body. It is delicate, sensual, frank and full.
In addition to their powerful structure and exceptional longevity, these great wines develop tertiary aromas of truffle, underbrush, leather and fur. It goes without saying that strong-flavoured meats will do them justice : furred or feathered game, braised, in sauce, or simply grilled. Wild-fowl (eg Peking duck) or a nice cut of roast veal will be gently enveloped by the close-packed but elegant tannins of these mighty Pinot Noir wines.
Serving temperatures : 15 to 16 °C.
Wine Information
2000 Harvest
It is once again a year with "ups and downs" and difficult climatic conditions, even abnormal sometimes, that the vignerons and their vineyards had to face :
- A mild end of winter ; a beautiful and early bunch setting.
- A summery June, very like August, resulting in a rapid and complete flowering, without coulure. The harvest promised to be large, especially in the younger vines (the old vines - which represent the greater part at the Domaine - were reasonably loaded) ; above all, the vegetative cycle was well ahead of schedule and the season's works followed at an unusual fast rate.
- Despite humidity, the véraison started at the end of July (very early) and we thinned out the younger vineyards, which would prove later to be essential : without this operation, the vineyards would have never been able to ripen the large natural harvest.
- July and August were cold (temperatures were as low as in March). A lot of rain, storms. A good part of the earliness of the vegetative cycle was lost, but it was still in advance, compared to 1999. Some botrytis began to appear.
- Fortunately, the heat returned from August 20 and the vigour of the vineyards, maintained by the humidity that had preceded, permitted maturation to progress rapidly. We gained more than one degree per week and when we started harvesting, the musts reached more than 13° alcohol and botrytis was stopped.
- The harvest proceeded in fine weather ; it lasted 9 days and was completed by September 22 for the reds. We waited until September 25th for harvesting the Montrachet whose complete ripeness was a little late.
Because botrytis was significant enough, it was necessary to do a very selective sorting : first in the vineyards where the grape-pickers, under the close watch of our staff, did a very meticulous work ("haute-couture"), then in the winery where only the perfectly ripe and healthy grapes were kept. The rest was eliminated.
Yields after sorting are about the same as 1999, between 28 and 32hl/ha.
To conclude, as you can see, climatic conditions were not favourable, but thanks to the work we achieved towards the balance of the soil, the finesse of the plant material and the conservation of the old vines, we could resist both the attacks of the unfriendly climate and the potential overproduction of the vines. These, on condition that their load was sufficiently reduced, "got out of trouble" and, thanks to the earliness of the vegetative cycle, benefited from an outstanding ripening : rare are the years indeed when we have such sugar levels at the same time as reasonable acidities.
The year 2000 is, as we say in Burgundy, a "vigneron's year" - unlike 1999 which was rather lenient towards excessive yields - it will subject them to the hard law of mediocrity ; but it will also be able to lead to paradise, in other words to the level of the best vintages, the wines that were below the maximum yields that it was forbidden, this time, to exceed.
It is not possible today, just after the devatting and before the malolactic fermentation, to give reliable information on the quality of the vintage.
All we can say is that the wines are well-coloured, rather supple and harmonious, with great purity of fruit. They should enhance the qualities of finesse, rather than power, of their different soils. We may think of 1995, but once again, it is necessary to wait and see ...!
Vuosikerta 2000
The 2000 vintage in Burgundy, France, is generally considered a very good to excellent vintage for both red and white wines. It was a year marked by favorable weather conditions, which allowed grapes to ripen well and produced wines with good structure and aging potential. Here are some key characteristics of the Burgundy wine vintage 2000:
-
Quality: The 2000 vintage is highly regarded in Burgundy and is often praised for its overall quality. It is considered one of the standout vintages of the early 21st century.
-
Weather Conditions: The weather in 2000 was characterized by a warm and dry growing season, which was particularly beneficial for grape ripening. This allowed for optimal maturity and concentration of flavors.
-
Red Burgundy: Pinot Noir is the primary grape variety for red Burgundy wines, and in 2000, it produced wines with ripe fruit flavors, balanced acidity, and good tannin structure. These wines are known for their elegance and finesse.
-
White Burgundy: Chardonnay is the dominant grape for white Burgundy wines, and in 2000, it yielded wines with good acidity, freshness, and a balance of citrus and mineral notes. White Burgundies from this vintage have aging potential.
-
Aging Potential: Both red and white Burgundies from the 2000 vintage have shown good aging potential. Many of these wines have evolved gracefully and can still be enjoyable today.
-
Availability: While some of the top Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundies from 2000 may be scarce and expensive, there are still excellent village-level and lesser-known producers' wines available that offer value and quality.
Overall, the Burgundy wine vintage 2000 is remembered for producing wines that showcase the elegance and terroir-driven character for which Burgundy is known. It remains a sought-after vintage among wine enthusiasts and collectors.
Here are some of the top Burgundy wines from the 2000 vintage, though availability may vary:
-
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC): DRC is one of the most prestigious producers in Burgundy, and their wines, including Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, are highly sought after and regarded as some of the best in the world. The 2000 vintage from DRC is exceptional.
-
Domaine Leroy: Leroy is another renowned producer known for producing exceptional Burgundy wines. Their 2000 vintage wines, particularly those from vineyards like Richebourg and Romanée-Saint-Vivant, are highly regarded.
-
Domaine Armand Rousseau: This producer consistently creates outstanding wines, and their 2000 vintage Clos de la Roche and Chambertin are among the top choices.
-
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé: Their Musigny wines from the 2000 vintage are often praised for their elegance and complexity.
-
Domaine Georges Roumier: The 2000 Bonnes-Mares from Georges Roumier is highly regarded for its concentration and structure.
-
Domaine Dujac: Dujac's wines from the 2000 vintage, including Clos de la Roche and Clos Saint-Denis, are known for their finesse and balance.
-
Maison Louis Jadot: Jadot produces a range of Burgundy wines, and their 2000 vintage offerings, particularly from the top Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards, are worth exploring.
Remember that the availability of these wines may be limited, and prices can vary significantly depending on the producer, vineyard, and current market conditions. It's advisable to consult with wine specialists, retailers, or collectors to find specific bottles and recommendations based on your preferences and budget. Additionally, personal taste plays a significant role in wine appreciation, so what is considered the "best" can vary from person to person.
