Burgundy, France, is a famous wine-producing region that is said to be among the most expensive in the world. In particular, the vineyards known as Grand Cru produce wines of exceptional quality.
Richebourg, which will be featured in this article, is one of them . It is a Grand Cru located in the village of Vosne-Romanée, known as the "village loved by God," and its excellent terroir produces red wines that can be aged for a long time.
This time, we will take a closer look at Richebourg, explaining the characteristics of the soil, the taste of the wine, and some of the major producers.
Please use this as a reference when choosing wine.
Richebourg is a Grand Cru that produces powerful and dense wines.
Grand Cru of Vosne-Romanée
Richebourg is a Grand Cru vineyard located in the village of Vosne-Romanée in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy, France .
Pinot Noir is grown here, and the resulting wine is a 100% Pinot Noir red wine , which is considered one of the best wines in the world, alongside Romanée-Conti and Latache.
Vosne-Romanée is one of the most famous wine-producing areas in Burgundy. Its wines are world-renowned, of high quality, and popular, and naturally, they are also extremely popular in Japan.
There are eight Grand Cru vineyards in the village, including Romanée-Conti, Latache, and Echézeaux . Even within the same village of Vosne-Romanée, the soil is different, and the best wines are produced by taking advantage of each terroir.
Richebourg is one of the Grand Crus of Vosne-Romanée that has a particularly muscular character . It is very powerful and rich in fruitiness, and has a dense yet elegant finish.
It is also a wine that is suitable for long-term aging, and if it is a wine from a good year, it can be aged for decades. Naturally, the price is high, and it is a top-class red wine that is the object of desire among wine lovers.
High-quality grapes grow in well-drained soil
The Richebourg vineyard is located in the northern part of the village of Vosne-Romanée, bordering the Romanée-Conti and La Romanée vineyards on the south side.
The vineyard covers an area of approximately 8 hectares , making it the second largest vineyard in the village of Vosne-Romanée. We will go into more detail about the producers later, but one of the characteristics of this region is that in addition to DRC, which is famous for Romanée-Conti, there are several other producers .
The Richebourg vineyard is located at an altitude of 260-280m. It is divided into two plots, "Les Richebourgs" and "Les Valloyères" , each of which produces grapes with a special flavor.
The soil is generally limestone with a high clay content and excellent sunshine conditions. The warm summers and cold winters provide ideal conditions for grape ripening, which produces very dense and powerful wines, especially in Les Richebourg.
The red wines from Vosne-Romanée, with their gorgeous, mellow flavor, are especially popular . In the same village of Vosne-Romanée, there are other gorgeous wines such as Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, and La Romanée, but these are all monopoles owned by a single producer, so they can be said to be the most gorgeous of the vineyards with multiple producers .
<Details about Richebourg>
- Origin: Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
- Area: 7.68 hectares
- Soil: Limestone
- Wine Type: Red wine
- Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Who are the producers of Richebourg? What are their characteristics, such as DRC and Henri Jayer?
There are several producers in Richebourg.
Each producer has their own philosophy and methodology, which results in differences in the taste and aroma of the same Richebourg . Below we explain the characteristics of each of the major producers.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)
DRC is one of Burgundy's top wine makers, known for wines such as "Romanée-Conti". It is the largest owner in Richebourg, owning about half the area , at 3.5 hectares.
DRC Richebourg has deep fruitiness, complex aroma, firm tannins, and an impressive style that combines power and elegance . With age, the nuances of spice and earth become more pronounced, creating a unique elegance.
The producers are well known and popular, and in good years a single bottle can sell for nearly 1 million yen.
Domaine Leroy
Domaine Leroy is known as a pioneer of biodynamic farming , focusing on using the power of nature to maximize the individuality of the vineyards without relying on pesticides.
Leroy's Richebourg is characterized by its strong aromatic and gorgeous aroma, delicate acidity and smooth texture. Compared to other Richebourg, it has a richer aroma and prominent floral and fruity nuances.
Highly regarded by natural wine lovers, Leroy's Richebourg is a very rare wine that is highly valued and sold at high prices .
Domaine Gros Frères et Soeurs
Domaine Gros Frères et Soeurs is the descendant of the Gros family, a prestigious family of Vosne-Romanée. It owns the third largest area in Richebourg after DRC and Leroy .
Since 2016, Vincent has been involved in winemaking, and a new generation of winemakers are making wines that are characterized by a fruit-focused style.
The finish has hints of cherry and berries, and one of its charms is that it can be enjoyed relatively early compared to other Richebourg wines .
Domaine Anne Gros
Anne Gros is also a member of the Gros family and aims to produce stylish and sophisticated wines. She is also one of the most notable producers within the Gros family.
Anne Gros began to shift her style in the late 1990s, going from a powerful style to an elegant one . This change is also evident in Richebourg, allowing you to enjoy different flavors over the years.
In recent years, Anne Gros Richebourg has been characterized by a high density of fruitiness and a smooth, silky texture.
Domaine Meo Camuzet
Domaine Meo-Camuzet is a producer who is said to be the successor to Henri Jayer, who was called the God of Burgundy.
Meo Camuzet's Richebourg is impressive for its strength, which is characteristic of Richebourg . It has rich fruitiness, firm tannins, and a long finish.
This is a wine that perfectly suits the words "strong" and "masculine."
Domaine Mongeard-Munneret
Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret is a distinguished domaine with a proud tradition dating back to around 1620. It is known for its classic winemaking that respects tradition.
The resulting wine has a good balance of fresh acidity and fruitiness, and as it ages it develops aromas of spices and earth, giving it the traditional Burgundy feel .
By the way, Mongeard-Muneray is known for owning many vineyards other than Richebourg. Grands Echézeaux is particularly famous, and is recommended for comparing the difference between Richebourg and Grands Echézeaux.
Henri Jayer
Henri Jayer is a great wine maker whose name is known to all Burgundy lovers. He was a top wine maker, known as the "man with the hands of God."
Henri Jayer also used to produce Richebourg. It is a legendary wine, and is now highly valued.
Originally, Richebourg was made under a sharecropping contract with Meo Camuzet, but that contract has now ended. The current Richebourg of Mr. Jayer is a premium wine .
The differences between DRC Romanee-Conti and Latache
As mentioned above, the top producer of Richebourg is DRC, which produces several Grand Cru wines, and DRC's Richebourg is often compared to other wines .
Among DRC's wines, the most popular is "Romanée-Conti" . Romanée-Conti is an ultra-premium wine with an average price of around 2.5 million yen, even more expensive than Richebourg. It is particularly characterized by its gorgeousness and richness, and its unique and beautiful aroma will captivate anyone who drinks it.
Another popular wine from DRC is "Latache" . Latache has an average price of around 1 million yen, making it the second most expensive wine after Romanée-Conti. It is characterized by its relatively stable quality in each vintage, and is a well-balanced, full-bodied wine.
While Romanée-Conti and Latache are monopoles (single-owned vineyards), Richebourg has producers other than DRC . The fact that there are multiple owners is the biggest difference between Romanée-Conti, Latache and Richebourg.
Richebourg is also characterized by its powerful flavor, and can be felt to have a bolder impression than Romanée-Conti or Latache. The price range is lower than Romanée-Conti and Latache, at around 700,000 yen, so it is a brand that can be especially recommended for those who like full-bodied, rich wines.
A great year for Richebourg! Popular vintages priced at over 1 million yen
Richebourg is a wine that can be aged for a long time, and its flavor can be enjoyed more deeply after aging for 10 to 30 years from the year of harvest. Wines from particularly good years are particularly suited to long-term aging, and there are wines that can withstand aging for over 40 years.
Good years for Richebourg include the 1990, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2019 vintages .
In particular , the new vintage, 2019, received 98 points on the Parker scale , the highest score compared to previous Richebourg vintages.
The price of Richebourg depends on the winery, but most bottles cost between 200,000 and 400,000 yen. On the other hand, popular wineries such as DRC and Leroy have bottles that cost around 1 million yen.
The price of Richebourg rises especially when it comes to good vintages, with some costing over 1 million yen. Old and rare Richebourg also tend to be valuable, and some bottles from good vintages in the past have been priced at nearly 2 million yen due to their rarity.
How to enjoy Richebourg! Learn about the best drinking temperature and pairings
To enjoy Richebourg more, it is important to know how to enjoy it. It is a good idea to pay particular attention to the best time to drink it, the appropriate temperature, and how to pair it with other wines .
Richebourg is a wine that requires a long maturation period, so we recommend aging it for at least 10 years . Depending on the vintage, aging it for 20 to 30 years will allow you to appreciate its wonderful flavor.
The best temperature is around 16°C. Store it in the cellar at around 12-15°C and wait for it to warm up to room temperature before drinking, which will allow you to enjoy the aroma more easily.
It is recommended to pair it with meat dishes or dishes with rich flavors that go well with full-bodied red wines. For example, you can enjoy the good compatibility by pairing it with rich dishes such as high-quality seared Japanese beef or shellfish cooked in butter.
Richebourg red wines are highly valued in purchase appraisals! Why?
Richebourg is one of the most popular Burgundy wines. Naturally, it is also a highly priced item when it comes to alcohol purchase appraisals.
A single bottle of DRC Richebourg can be valued at over several hundred thousand yen . Richebourg bottles made by other makers than DRC are also consistently popular and often command high purchase prices.
The price range of Richebourg varies depending on the producer and vintage. Be aware that the price difference between good and bad years can be more than 100,000 yen.
Among the bottles of Richebourg, there are some that are now highly prized, such as those made by the late Henri Jayer.
In order to have these differences properly assessed, we recommend that you use a specialized wine buying store that is knowledgeable about alcohol . By choosing a company that specializes in wine buying, it will be easier for them to determine the correct value of Richebourg.
Also, because Richebourg is a delicate wine, you need to be careful about how you store it before selling it. It is best to store it in a cellar, maintaining the room temperature and humidity, but if it is difficult to provide an appropriate environment, we recommend that you have it appraised as soon as possible.
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summary
Richebourg is a red Burgundy wine that is one of the most powerful wines from the village of Vosne-Romanée. It is full-bodied and dense, and has the potential to age for decades.
There are several producers in Richebourg, including DRC, Leroy, and the Gros family. Each has a different price range and style of wine, so it would be interesting to compare them.
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