Lucien Le Moine Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru 2005 750ml

The single barrel of 2005 Romanee-St.-Vivant at this address smells of roasted game, super-concentrated, fresh purple plum, black raspberry, cumin, coriander and other exotic spices. Fantastically clear, concentrated and gripping, with tart fruit skin, concentrated, salty, soy-drenched meatiness, mysterious florality, and tactile spiciness, this finishes with length, eloquence and intrigue like some great, vinous novel. (Any suspicions I may have harbored, incidentally – and I did – that this famous grand cru simply couldn’t challenge the best of red Burgundy, were forever shattered by this wine and several of its 2005 counterparts.)

• Country: France
• Region: Burgundy
• Appellation: Cote De Nuits
• Sub Appellation: Vosne Romanee
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red

Varietal

Pinot Noir

Regularly described as being the grape varietal responsible for producing the world’s most romantic wines, Pinot Noir has long been associated with elegance and a broad range of flavors The name means ‘black pine’ in French, and this is due to the fact that the fruit of this particular varietal is especially dark in color, and hangs in a conical shape, like that of a pine cone. Despite being grown today in almost every wine producing country, Pinot Noir is a notoriously difficult grape variety to cultivate. This is because it is especially susceptible to various forms of mold and mildew, and thrives best in steady, cooler climates. However, the quality of the fruit has ensured that wineries and vintners have persevered with the varietal, and new technologies and methods have overcome many of the problems it presents. Alongside this, the wide popularity and enthusiasm for this grape has ensured it will remain a firm favorite amongst wine drinkers for many years to come.