Description
Jancis Robinson
Absolutely staggering to be offered a fourth pour of this stunning wine at last November’s fundraising dinner in aid of Marie Curie at Vintners’ Hall! This was Adam Brett-Smith of Corney & Barrow’s last year as chairman of the committee and he was clearly determined to go out with a bang. C&B represent DRC and he managed to prevail upon Aubert de Villaine to be quite extremely generous. Introducing the wine, Aubert explained that the vines in this heatwave vintage were extremely resilient. The fruit was almost prune-like which faded as the wine settled into the glass. Then the terroir started to assert itself. This was a truly gorgeous wine, which may or may not have been rather sweeter than usual. Tip top. Vibrant. At the top of its game. It probably evolved slightly faster than some other vintages. 19/20 points. (JR) 
(11/2018)
95 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Perhaps the biggest Romanée-St.-Vivant produced at this domaine, the 2003 offers aromatics as well as flavors reminiscent of black fruits drenched in dark chocolate. Full-bodied, velvety-textured, as well as concentrated, it is immensely ripe, crammed with tannin, and vaunts an amazingly long finish. (PR) (8/2005)
94 points Allen Meadows – Burghound
This is surprisingly fresh and elegant with its pretty floral and overtly spicy notes that add nuance to the ripe but not roasted black fruit aromas. While clearly well-concentrated and powerful there is fine precision, refinement and purity to the strikingly complex and vibrant flavors that are supple on the mid-palate but quite firm on the finish. There is the barest trace of warmth but it’s a background note and overally this is superbly classy juice. In the context of what is typical for the DRC RSV this is a big but stylish wine that should live for years, indeed it is still very much on the way up – patience! Note that in July 2017 I had a bottle that displayed noticeable brett and it was enough to detract from the overall sense of freshness. (7/2016)
93 points Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
Very good deep red-ruby. Very ripe aromas of raspberry, earth, Oriental spices, truffle and smoke; shows a slight suggestion of surmaturite but at the same time is perked up by a suggestion of menthol. Then sweet and supple, with very good definition and a light touch for 2003. Finishes with big tannins and impressive density and length. (ST) (4/2006)
