Several times during my tastings of the 2015 vintage in Burgundy there have been moments where the wines have really made an impact, emotionally, viscerally, even spiritually. There are truly some magnificent wines from this vintage.

To have a complete range in one cellar is exceptional. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti achieved success in a hot, often dry, but very fine vintage. Although the wines are unfinished and still require refining in barrel and bottling, this is as impressive a range as I have tasted since my first visit here in 2005.

Unfortunately, Aubert de Villaine, DRC's co-director and statesman, had to appear in a Dijon court to testify against yet another counterfeiting operation.

I tasted with cellarmaster Bernard Noblet, who knows these wines as if they were his children. Some had been racked, due to reduction and high amounts of carbonic gas; others were not, as noted below. Noblet told me that bottling will begin at the end of February.

For fermentation, Noblet retained 100 percent of the stems, for the first time since the 2009 and 2005 harvests. He also noted that, due to the grapes' high natural potential alcohol of 14 degrees, the indigenous yeasts were sluggish. Therefore, the wines finished their alcoholic fermentations in barrel. "This required a lot of attention and care, but we had no problem of any kind," de Villaine wrote me a few days later via email. "On the contrary, I believe it added more richness and balance to the wines. These 2015s have been very good and easy children!"

I found the cuvées that had not been racked to be the most integrated. Any type of operation like racking or bottling the wines can disturb them, and they require time to restore their equilibrium. Add the fact that the cellars were very cold—about 4.5° to 5.5° F cooler than usual—and the wines are developing at a glacial pace!

The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton 2015 was still on the lees, not racked. It set the pace with an added level of elegance that earlier vintages did not show. Full of rich, dark cherry and spice aromas and flavors, it's still rooted in the earth yet balanced and focused on the long finish. The first vintage for DRC was the 2009, when it contracted to farm the vineyards of Prince de Merode. The DRC team has worked hard to integrate the vineyards into its biodynamic cultivation and has also begun replanting some of the vines in Bressandes with its own selection massale of Pinot Noir. Thus, for now, it is a blend of the oldest vines from Bressandes, Renardes and Clos du Roi.

The Echézeaux had been racked after the 2016 harvest. It was the last climatto be picked in 2015 and was the ripest of the group. Often  the Echézeaux can be a bit sullen from barrel, but this is expressive, bursting with ripe black cherry, blueberry and spice notes, a round, charming personality, juicy texture and fine length.

The Grands Echézeaux had been racked at the beginning of December. It exudes ripe black cherry, floral, spice and mineral flavors. More linear and tense than the Echézeaux, it's also more elegant, with fine grip on the long finish.

As good as these first three wines are, the fireworks began with the Romanée-St.-Vivant. A wine of great class and finesse, it features aromas and flavors of rose, strawberry and cherry, married to an aerial profile and lacy texture. Its finish extends gracefully. Not yet racked, this is a stunning RSV.

Both the Richebourg and La Tâche were racked after the 2016 harvest. The Richebourg's attack is rich and fleshy before turning focused, structured and more serious. Pure cherry and red berry fruit gives way to oak and tannins on the finish, its length revealing its ultimate potential. La Tâche offers its typical power and density, with tannins more integrated than the Richebourg and notes of black cherry, licorice, sandalwood and spice.

We ended with Romanée-Conti, also still on its lees in barrel without racking. Simply majestic, complete and different from the rest of the range, it expresses pure cherry, floral and spice flavors, gossamer texture and terrific aftertaste. "Un autre monde," said Noblet. Indeed, it's a wine with profound depth, breadth and an ethereal, spiritual element that delivers great pleasure along with a sense of place.

Cheers,