The most WANTED WINE of the planet

No winery is more famous or produces such legendary wines in Bourgogne than Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, abbreviated as DRC, the winery produces some of the most exclusive and expensive wines of the world. Romanée Conti is located in Bourgogne in the city and appellation of Vosne-Romanée, in the famous Côte de Nuits. This part of Bourgogne is extremely famous for its red wines produced with the Pinot Noir grape. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is probably the most important vineyard of the world.

The history of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti begins in the 13th century, when the vineyard was managed by the local monastery, Saint Vivant Abbey in Vosne. The vines are thought to have been cultivated by the Romans before that time, giving them the name "Romanée". At that time, the vineyard was but a fraction of its current size. In 1600, it passed in the hands of the Croonembourge family, who also expanded it by purchasing the land known as La Tâche (from which the famous La Tâche wine from DRC is named). It was Louis François de Bourbon, prince of Conti, who bought La Romanée in 1760 and it became La Romanée Conti. After the French Revolution, during which the property was confiscated and sold as national property, merchant Jacques Marie Duvault-Blochet finally obtained it in 1869. His descendant is the current co-owner, Aubert de Villaine. He holds an equal share with the Leroy/Roch family, a very important merchant family in Burgundy. Over the years, they bought more land which makes up the current eight vineyards owned by DRC and turned the winery into the world renowned winery it is today. Although the original 4.5 acres were cultivated by French monks and the Romans before them, they still produce the winery's finest wine: Romanée-Conti. This parcel has been famous for several hundred years. The Prince of Conti reserved La Romanée for his table only.

Burgundy wines are loved for their silkiness and balanced taste. The region's unique soil and geology give each vineyard its own unique style. As they age, Burgundy wines develop an earthiness that makes them special. But La Romanée-Conti is the pinnacle of Pinot Noir: silky, pure, elegant and ages perfectly in the bottle for 40 years or more. Not only are all of their wines designated Grand Cru, but their vineyards are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vineyards of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti are located on some of the best wine lands in the world. The quality and location of the vineyards are of course the most important factor. The property is managed according to the precepts of biodynamics, started in 1995 and completed in 2006. In the wineries there is only minimal intervention. They use different fermentation phases and yeasts are entirely natural. Tannin extraction is as gentle as possible and the wines are aged in 100% new oak barrels (Tronçais). After one use, they are immediately sold. DRC has its own source for the Tronçais wood in these barrels. Another important element of quality is the cork. It preserves the wine and allows the wine to age well. The family does not economize when it comes to cork. They also choose a long cork (54 millimeters), which is synonymous with longevity and quality. One interesting aspect is that DRC uses horses to avoid compacting the soil. Yields are quite low and it is said that it takes three vines to produce one bottle of wine from the Romanée-Conti vineyard. The domaine produces only 6,000-8,000 cases per year and only 450 cases of La Romanée-Conti, so demand is at astronomical levels. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti has twice set the record for the most expensive wines sold at auction.


Two bottles of the 1945 vintage sold for $496,000 and $558,000, respectively, in 2018!