The Wine Advocate | RP 92-94
Published: Jan 20, 2022

Offering up aromas of cherries, cassis, sweet spices, rose petals and loamy soil, the 2020 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with an ample, layered mid-palate that only partially conceals an imposing chassis of rich, chewy tannins.

Géraldine Godot told me that all Domaine de l'Arlot's wines in the 2020 vintage came in above 14% alcohol and that she retained appreciable percentages of stems in this vintage. Harvest began on August 25. Tasted from preprepared samples, these were rich, powerful wines that are more muscular in style than the domaine's 2019s.

Arlot.com

The Style of the Wine
It is always a privilege to taste a Romanée Saint Vivant. It is a rare emotion born from being close to a masterpiece of nature and man. It has a sumptuous, imposing appearance and is a bright ruby colour. The bouquet has a radiant richness passing from black cherries to raspberry jelly and blackberry cordial with violets. With age it develops notes of undergrowth and leather. This immense wine has expressive intensity and depth. It is smooth but not flabby, silky but structured, dense but elegant. Everything mingles and links together to create sublime complexity.

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- A long history: founded in 1098, the abbey of Citeaux has made a lengthy contribution to the extension of vines in Burgundy. The monks of Saint-Vivant de Vergy were very much involved in this, so much so that a vineyard in the Côte de Nuits was named after them.

- Some oak but not too much: despite or because of its Grand Cru status, the vinification is done in wooden vats. Ageing is done in wooden barrels during 15 months, the use of new oak remains very moderate: 30% to 50%, helping define the structure of the wine while also contributing some discreet spicy notes. Bottling take place after 18 months of ageing.

- Up until 1990, this vineyard was in the hands of a single winemaker from of the village of Aloxe-Corton. The first vintage of this wine to be produced by Domaine de l'Arlot was 1991.
The Terroir
The vineyard of Romanée Saint Vivant is wonderfully located, with only a road separating it from the Romanée-Conti. It has fabulously generous earth on sublime ground whose mixture of clay and limestone makes one of the greatest reds in the world.

Tasting Note
The nose is amazing. Aromatic complexity shines through with floral, raspberry and cherry aromas complemented by spices. Ever-silky tannins and great minerality underpin the elegance of this wine. Time will take it to yet another level.

Géraldine Godot, Technical Director (July 2022)

Food pairings
With a wine like this, you should not hesitate to set your sights high: fillet of beef with truffle sauce, pressed duck or chicken with ceps. And in autumn, hare "à la royale" would make a perfect match for this legendary red.

These suggestions are offered as a guide, to spark your imagination for flavour pairings.
The Weather
After a very moderate winter, the mildest since the early 20th century, the vine started its growing cycle in March. The spring temperatures made 2020 one of the three earliest years on record. The flowering stage was reached in mid-May, and veraison began in early July. Rainfall continued to be scarce as the months progressed, particularly in July, and the scorching first two weeks of August hastened the start of harvesting.

The Harvest
The harvest took place from 25th to 30 th August, with summery weather and just one rainy day.

The Grapes
The early start to the season and the summer drought had a significant effect on quantities, which were close to those of 2019. Exceptionally, this year we observed that the Pinot Noir had reached maturity before the Chardonnay, so it was harvested first. The high level of tartaric acid combined with sun-drenched fruit helped maintain balance and freshness. The 2020 vintage promises to be unique, and heralds great potential.