Domaine de l'Arlot Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 2022 is a magnificent expression of one of Burgundy's most iconic Grand Cru vineyards. Situated alongside the legendary Romanée-Conti, this biodynamically farmed vineyard produces Pinot Noir of exceptional elegance, complexity and longevity. Crafted from 100% Pinot Noir, the 2022 vintage beautifully captures the finesse and aromatic purity that define Romanée-Saint-Vivant while showcasing the richness and balance of an outstanding growing season.
The nose opens with an enchanting bouquet of red cherries, raspberries, blackberries and summer flowers, layered with delicate notes of violets, sweet spices, earth, smoke and forest floor. With aeration, the wine reveals remarkable depth and precision, unfolding into an elegant palate that is both silky and structured. Fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity and refined minerality support its generous fruit core, leading to an exceptionally long, persistent finish. Despite its youthful charm, this Grand Cru possesses the concentration and balance to evolve beautifully for decades.

James Suckling | JS 96
Published: Jun 17, 2024

The bouquet of this beautiful Romanee-St.-Vivant is like a cloud of red fruit and summer flowers. Then you descend into the wonderful velvet of the palate that’s wrapped around a firm structure that should give it decades of life. Very long finish, where the fine tannins give this great textural complexity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Decanter | D 95
Published: Nov 2, 2023
Drink: 2030-2065

The 2022 RSV from Domaine de l'Arlot has enough generous plummy fruit to open reasonably young. There is a good depth of flavour, with notes of earth, smoke, and game adding complexity. The texture is surprisingly substantial and profound, with an enjoyable lingering finish. This wine seems richer and more impactful than many bottlings from this site. The grapes come from a quarter of a hectare up the slope from the Dujac holding. The grapes are mostly destemmed before fermentation and ageing in cask (half new).
Closure: Natural Cork
Body: Medium
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir 

Arlot.com

It is always a privilege to taste a Romanée Saint Vivant. It is a rare emotion born from being close to a masterpiece of nature and man. It has a sumptuous, imposing appearance and is a bright ruby colour. The bouquet has a radiant richness passing from black cherries to raspberry jelly and blackberry cordial with violets. With age it develops notes of undergrowth and leather. This immense wine has expressive intensity and depth. It is smooth but not flabby, silky but structured, dense but elegant. Everything mingles and links together to create sublime complexity.

Vintage conditions
After a mild, dry winter and the presence of a cold air mass at the beginning of April, spring-like conditions set in, causing rapid growth of vegetation. Flowering was rapid and clusters of grapes holded the promise of a generous harvest. The exceptionally warm spring and timely rainfall allowed good ripening in scorching temperatures. Our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay nonetheless retained a surprising acidity, making them worthy representatives of Burgundy.

Harvest
Ripeness checks were stepped up in mid-August and we noticed some blockages due to very high temperatures. This natural protection proved salutary, as sugar levels progressed slowly and acidity was preserved.
Harvesting took place from 26th to 31st August. Only the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits plot was harvested on 10th September. The weather was fine and the volumes unexpected. The estate's yield was 38hl/ha.

Location
A long history: founded in 1098, the abbey of Citeaux has made a lengthy contribution to the extension of vines in Burgundy. The monks of Saint-Vivant de Vergy were very much involved in this, so much so that a vineyard in the Côte de Nuits was named after them.

The Terroir
The vineyard of Romanée Saint Vivant is wonderfully located, with only a road separating it from the Romanée-Conti. It has fabulously generous earth on sublime ground whose mixture of clay and limestone makes one of the greatest reds in the world.
Up until 1990, this vineyard was in the hands of a single winemaker from of the village of Aloxe-Corton. The first vintage of this wine to be produced by Domaine de l'Arlot was 1991.

Vinification
Some oak but not too much: despite or because of its Grand Cru status, the vinification is done in wooden vats.

Grape varieties
Pinot Noir 100%

Ageing
Ageing is done in wooden barrels during 15 months, the use of new oak remains very moderate: a maximum of 40%, helping define the structure of the wine while also contributing some discreet spicy notes. Bottling take place after 18 months of ageing.

Tasting Note
The first nose seems discreet, but after aeration it becomes more profound. You are carried away by the aromas of flowers and spices that characterise this terroir. The tannins gently coat the palate, which is impressively broad and finishes with spectacular persistence. A great, exceptional wine.

Géraldine Godot, Technical Director (May 2024)

Food pairings
With a wine like this, you should not hesitate to set your sights high: fillet of beef with truffle sauce, pressed duck or chicken with ceps. And in autumn, hare "à la royale" would make a perfect match for this legendary red.
These suggestions are offered as a guide, to spark your imagination for flavour pairings.