The 2017 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru bursts with expressive aromas of rose petal, exotic spices, peonies and raspberries, with comparatively little to suggest the savory complexity to come with bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, it's one of the ampler, more expansive wines in the range, its satiny tannins concealed in a classy core of fruit, with a deep but open-knit core and good energy, concluding with a fragrant finish.

The 2016 Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru has a sensual, quixotic bouquet with macerated small red cherries, blueberry, a light marine influence developing in the glass. This offers haunting purity, a real femme fatale. It’s actually more like a Richebourg in style as it broadens and deeps with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, fine acidity, not quite as sensual as the Bonnes-Mares with a tender, lightly spiced finish. This is just ridden with class.