Cellar Favorite: 1952 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 30, 2025

This bottle of 1952 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was poured blind after an already memorable dinner themed around the illustrious Domaine’s 2002s held at Cornus restaurant in London. This is a significant vintage, which is why I separated it for a Cellar Favourite. The 1952 vintage marked the return of the Romanée-Conti cuvée after the monopole’s ungrafted vines were pulled out following the 1945 harvest. Therefore, this ’52 came from young vines that had taken root in 1947.

Firstly, I notice the colour, pale ruby with a little bricking on the rim, giving away maturity. However, the nose is so vivid that it threw everyone off its actual age, revealing sensual redcurrant and strawberry mixed with subtle ferrous aromas, later, a suggestion of menthol. It is no longer powerful, but now airy and more ethereal. The palate has a subtle garrigue-tinged opening and an almost balletic balance. Again, the 1952 is not powerful, yet there is a core of slightly candied fruit and an elegant finish. Of course, this is an extraordinarily rare and expensive bottle, but it signified the reemergence of “the king” and all the vintages that followed. It was a complete privilege to drink this piece of history. 95/Drink 2025-2040.

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