"The 1985 Montrachet is fully mature and at the height of its expression. Orange confit, hazelnut, honey, apricot jam, dried herb and burnt sugar overtones are the characteristics of a wine that carries the gentle patina of age with grace and stature. Medium in body and fully resolved, the 1985 is not likely to improve much with more time in the cellar, rather it is a wine of pure and total sensory pleasure to drink now. This is a fine example of the 1985. Tasted at the Los Angeles DRC Montrachet vertical." -Vinous
Robert Parker
RP90
"There is something restrained and monolithic about the DRC's 1985 Montrachet. Obviously made from extremely low yields given its thickness and richness, this full-bodied wine reveals a lack of complexity. Admittedly, this is being super-critical, but at $600 a bottle, shouldn't one be just a bit moved by the tasting experience? The wine is unquestionably outstanding, and it may be a long distance runner that needs more time to develop. As the 1985 white Burgundy vintage has matured, it is interesting to hear some producers say that the wines are "too clean" and "too healthy." Nevertheless, this young, light to medium straw-colored Montrachet appears to require another decade of aging before a more realistic assessment can be made on where this wine is going. It is still young, but I am not fully convinced that age will bring out all the complexity one would expect. (Over the holidays, a Niellon 1985 Batard-Montrachet was profound, and clearly a mid-90-point effort.) The notes for this wine are taken from the description of Series I of the 1995 tasting conducted in Munich by Helga and Hardy Rodenstock. Many years after the tasting from which this note derives allegations were made concerning the authenticity of old and rare bottles of wine sold by Hardy Rodenstock to collectors around the world. The matter has been the subject of numerous articles, litigation and at least one book." -Robert Parker
Wine Spectator
WS91
"Superbly balanced and elegant, with refined fruit and spice flavors. Everything melds together nicely. Only an edge of astringency cuts into the finish to take it down just a notch, but still outstanding.--Domaine de la Romanรฉe-Conti Montrachet vertical."
