Alain Hudelot-Noellat Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru

2015

Burghound 93-95: This is both more elegant but also more restrained with its cool red cherry, sandalwood, tea and various floral scents. The lilting, silky and pure middle weight flavors possess a gorgeously refined mouth feel as the supporting tannins are dense but notably fine-grained on the beautifully focused, balanced and lingering finish. This will be approachable young but age quite well too.

Wine Advocate 96: The 2015 Romanée Saint-Vivant Grand Cru from Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat is exceptional, bursting from the glass with notes of cherries, wild berries, exotic spice, dried flowers and orange rind. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated and authoritative, built around a bright line of acidity and a fine-grained chassis of satiny tannins. The finish is long, fragrant and racy.

Vinous 95: Full, bright red. Alluring aromas of black cherry, raspberry, cocoa powder, licorice and violet hint at the exotic side of the vintage. Wonderfully silky-sweet on the palate, but with its plush, seamless texture given shape by surprising harmonious acidity. This is deceptively accessible today owing to its sheer sucrosité and pliancy, and its utterly suave tannins, but the extremely long finish shows an exhilarating sappiness that suggests this wine will evolve slowly and gracefully in bottle.