Following the example of numerous Burgundy domains, La Tâche was originally a monastic domain. It was then owned by two different families, one of which was the Joly de Bévy who was dispossessed during the Revolution. Owned by Basire, then Liger-Belair, the La Tâche vineyards were added to the Domaine de La Romanée Conti in 1933. Well-looked after vines, strictly controlled yields and as late as possible harvest produce an aromatic and opulent wine. Deeply coloured, La Tâche develops a palette of extraordinary aromas of dark fruits, truffle and spices. Rich and concentrated, its bouquet releases infinite tones that melt on the palate to form a lovely fine ensemble. Always exceptional, even in difficult vintages. Hence in 1950 and 1951, it was the only wine on the domain that was bottled.

A recent tasting of the 2021 La Tâche confirms it as among the top wines of the vintage. The colour is a deep, saturated ruby, and hints of violets, spice, and smoke deftly accent the ripe aromas of plum and mulberry fruit. The fruit balances the influence of the cask ageing, giving the wine a seamless integration. The texture is denser than most from this vintage, and the tannins are firm but not astringent - just lush, balanced elegance that places this wine above its peers. Picked 24 – 27 September; 6,947 bottles produced. - 98pts Decanter

The disparity between my score in barrel last year and from bottle this year is an illustration of the vagaries of barrel tasting, as the 2021 La Tâche Grand Cru has benefited immeasurably from a second winter of élevage. If the Saint-Vivant is the cousin of the Romanée-Conti, La Tâche this year is the big brother of the Richebourg, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with Asian spices, rose petals and coniferous forest and framed by a discreet patina of new oak. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, with a broad, textural attack and an ample core of fruit that conceals a serious chassis of tannin, it's long, resonant and intensely perfumed. - 97pts Wine Advocate