Allen Meadows - Score: 94 (2009 Jan.)

I have had mixed luck with this wine and the score below reflects the best of those experiences. Two bottles were opened at the big RC tasting as the first was deemed by the group to be atypical in terms of its expressiveness; otherwise, I have had this wine now 6 times. The best example that has come my way was gorgeously expressive and highly spiced with a rich panoply of aromas, running from Asian spice notes like soy, hoisin and clove to a mix of primary and secondary black fruit aromas, violets the classic dried rose petal. The big yet refined flavors are rich, intense, mouth filling and still quite youthful, indeed even energetic on the palate drenching and coating finish of spectacular length, all wrapped around a solid tannic spine that will enable the '85 to evolve glacially over the next 30 years. While the DRC '85s are a mixed bag with a weak La Tâche but excellent examples of Richebourg and Grands Echézeaux, the RC is unquestionably at the head of its class.