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Without a doubt, there is one winery in the world that excites the palates, imaginations, and wallets of wine lovers far beyond all others: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The record for the most expensive standard-sized bottle of wine in the world is still held by a DRC 1945 that fetched $812,500 at Acker’s annual La Paulée auction in New York City just this past weekend. Fans of Apple TV’s Drops of God are surely aware of the central role that the wine plays in the plot but may not know that the original story was inspired by a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1985 Echezeaux shared by its creators.

But it’s not just at auction where DRCs command the big bucks: The recommended price of a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2023 Romanée-Conti is SRP of $11,921. However, at a recent tasting of the domain’s 10 offerings from the astounding 2023 vintage hosted by its co-directors Perrine Fenal and Bertrand de Villaine, we were surprised to learn that one of the selections, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2023 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet, carries a suggested retail price tag of $623. Made from grand cru sites in Vosne-Romanée, the village in which DRC’s eponymous walled vineyard sits, this ethereal bottling is a far cry pricewise from its siblings.

First made in the 1999 vintage and produced in 12 seasons since, Cuvée Duvault-Blochet is named for Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet, founder of the domain as it is known today and ancestor of Bertrand de Villaine and his uncle Aubert, who led Domain de la Romanée-Conti from 1974 until his retirement in 2022. With only 3,791 bottles made, it will be a hard commodity to come by, especially since the 2023 vintage is being sold in the United States only to restaurants rather than retailers. Made with grapes from young vines from the estate’s grand cru vineyards that are folded back into the cuvée, Duvault-Blochet is designated as a Premier Cru because when you combined two or more Grands Crus from the same village, you have to lower the classification.

 “This wine is both an introduction to the domain wines, being an assemblage of various grands crus, and to the vintage since it does not bear the identity of a particular climat,” Fenal and de Villaine told Robb Report in a joint statement. “It is only sold to restaurants in order to offer the opportunity to taste a domain wine at a lesser cost than the grands crus, a bottle that is already enjoyable in its youth, as shown in this 2023 vintage tasting.” They add, “In 2023, a year of abundance and ripeness, some of the younger vines of our grands crus parcels, among them some Échézeaux and Grands Échézeaux, produced beautiful wines that we decided to bottle and commercialize as Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet.” That abundance and ripeness are apparent to us when appraising the wine, which has delicate aromas of cherry, pomegranate, cotton candy, and rose petal. It is broad on the palate, offering beautiful silky tannins wrapped around flavors of strawberry, raspberry, violet, and a touch of spice on the drawn-out finish.

The 2022 vintage is already on hand and 2023 is on the way at Catch Hospitality’s New York City venues the Corner Store, Or’Esh, the Eighty Six, and Catch. Group wine director Emily Buse finds it is ready to be enjoyed without a lengthy period between opening and serving. “Working in a restaurant, we do not always have the luxury of opening wines two hours prior to consumption,” she says. “I think of all of the DRC wines, this is the one that needs the least aeration to express a lot within minutes.” Just as we did upon learning the suggested price, Buse thinks this wine offers a terrific value. “While the leap in price point between Cuvée Duvault-Blochet and La Tâche [SRP: $3,848] is enormous, the quality isn’t quite as disparate, especially in opulent vintages.”

Buse also points out that “even those with the budget for it must contend with the scarcity” of all the wines from DRC. With that in mind, she says, “The Cuvée Duvault-Blochet is an opportunity to experience the signature and distinct characteristics of the rest of their Pinot Noir.” Even though it is made with fruit from much younger vines than the seven other red grands crus the domain offers each year, she says, “It is more interesting to me than a lot of other grand cru wines I carry,” especially because it is “more accessible in its youth, as well, and requires less cellar aging.”

Although the 2023 is earmarked for restaurants only, we were able to find a handful of bottles of prior vintages for sale at a few reputable retailers around the country, including Tribeca Wine Merchants in New York City. Despite the suggested retail price of $623, partner Lauren McPhate points out that the SRP is usually roughly a third or even a quarter of secondary market price. “We sell the 2021 for just over $2,500 a bottle, which really reflects the demand for anything from DRC,” she says. McPhate also points out that although the vines are younger, this still offers an opportunity to purchase a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wine made with fruit from La Tâche, Richebourg, and Romanée-Saint Vivant: “It’s one of the few ways collectors can experience the domain’s terroir without paying grand cru prices.” And while the wine is drinking well now, she reminds readers, “Young vines shouldn’t be underestimated. Wines like the 1967 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, made from vines under eight years old, have proven they can age magnificently.”

In addition to Catch Hospitality’s locations, bottles of Cuvée Duvault-Blochet can be found at restaurants around the country, including Baltaire in Los Angeles, RPM Steak in Chicago, the Grill in New York, Bellagio in Las Vegas, Grill 23 & Bar in Boston, Del Frisco’s in New York and D.C., and Casa d’Angelo in Fort Lauderdale. While the existence of this well-priced wine from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti seems like a wine-world secret, Buse tells Robb Report, “To be honest, I hardly have to sell this wine as people literally jump at the occasion to try DRC at this friendlier price point.”

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