Romanee Saint Vivant, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard 2018

Description

By Jasper Morris in 2019 (JM95-98)

Black purple with a fresher rim, the wine is so youthful in bouquet that it tells us nothing as yet. Not especially reductive but exceptionally backward. A vast surge of deep fruit across the palate with a little light toast from the barrel, a thoroughly seductive texture. Once again the balancing acidity is a valuable feature. Fine persistent aftertaste.

By Wine Advocate in 2020 (WA95-97)

As usual, there are three barrels of Cathiard’s 2018 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, a stunning young wine that soars from the glass in a blaze of cassis, violets, orange rind, exotic spices, grilled meats and ripe plums. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, layered and textural, with lively acids, prodigious concentration, powdery structuring tannins and a long, penetrating finish.

By Burghound in 2020 (AM93-96)

A superbly spicy nose features ripe and very fresh aromas of plum, dark currant and once again nuances of exotic Asian tea. The lilting yet powerful and tautly muscular flavors possess even better density on the impeccably well-balanced finish that flashes a note of bitter pit fruit character. This is quite firm yet the overall impression is a wine of lace and grace. Note: from a tiny .18 ha parcel

By Decanter in 2020 (TA97)

This Romanée-St-Vivant was very late to finish its malolactic fermentation in July 2019 and was still a little unresolved when I tasted it in late October. Made with grapes from a 0.17ha parcel, it has some tannic backbone, two-thirds new wood and layers of intense, concentrated, well-structured bramble and red berry fruit. The concentration from 100-year-old vines is apparent in the depth of this superb Grand Cru red.