1989 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, DRC, Montrachet Grand Cru, Bottle (750ml) [Nicked Label, Slightly Soiled Label]

1989 DRC Montrachet - Robert Parker's Hedonists Gazette, June 2, 2006: It's funny how wines can be, but I had a slightly off bottle of 1989 DRC Montrachet within the last six months, but this Methuselah was as profound a white Burgundy as anyone could hope for. While it is easy to criticize the DRC because people expect so much, this is the kind of Chardonnay that literally has no equal. At age 17, it is a vigorous wine still in its youthful adolescence. From Wine Advocate #79 Feb 1992: Not surprisingly, this is another awesome example from the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. If pure, honeyed thickness and glycerin are what you are looking for, there is not a more concentrated Chardonnay produced in the world. The only thing I have ever seen from the new world that approaches a wine such as this in nectar-like richness were the 1978 and 1980 Chalone, but that winery has now resorted to making much lighter, more commercially-oriented products. There is nothing commercial about this 1989 Montrachet. If you have $500 to spend, here is a bottle that will offer an awesome nose of honeyed, buttery, apple fruit, intertwined with aromas of smoked nuts and toasty new oak. In the mouth, it is almost greasy because of its extraordinary viscosity, thickness, and richness. The finish is explosive, and while the alcohol must be over 14.5%, it cannot be detected because of the wine's phenomenal concentration. This wine may merit a perfect score in 5-10 years, but currently, it is slightly less ethereal than the 1986 was at a similar period in its evolution.