"The second parcel (0.49 hectare) is vinified and bottled separately under the name "Aux Malconsorts - Christiane", in honor of Hubert's wife and Alix's and Etienne's mother, who passed in 2008 and had done so much for the Domaine. This parcel has a unique positioning. It sits across a path that separates it from the rest of "Les Malconsorts", and it is an enclave nestled against the north and west borders of "La Tâche", a part called "the original". To the south and east are other paths (see map). It should be noted that despite its unique geographic situation and its special placement on the vineyard maps, this parcel is not part of, nor has it historically been part of, the "La Tâche" vineyard. The wines from this parcel are a different "Les Malconsorts" as tasting have proved. This wine's nose focuses on black fruit (black currants and black cherries) and is even more spicy and more mineral. The mouthfeel is fuller and more vinous yet with a stricter tannic frame. The palate is minerally and serious, showing more depth and ampleness, and one can see behind this its superior aging potential. Often more reserved that its twin brother, it pays to be patient." de Montille
"The 2020 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts Cuvée Christiane 1er Cru is 80% whole cluster, very different in aromatic profile to the regular cuvée, more ferrous with hints of red pepper infusing the red and black fruit. The palate is very well-defined and comparing side-by-side, this conveys more energy and tension than the regular cuvée, almost with greater precision towards the finish. Very long and tender, this is a marvellous Vosne-Romanée for long-term ageing." Vinous 97p
"Glowing rich purple, and here the bouquet is much more like normal. 80% whole bunch. 13.3%. This has the flowing sense of majesty, along with the firmer finish, but here the fruit swarms all over the back end. Very complete, very fine, luxury without vulgarity. And excellent persistence." Jasper Morris 96p
"A bright, fresh nose with copious red and black fruit aromas underlined by accents of earth and smoke, with a pleasant hint of violets and spice. There is a rich, lush texture on the palate and evident extract, but there is also enough tension and structure to age for decades to come. From the 0.49ha parcel bordered on the north and west by La Tâche, the grapes are picked four or five days later than the rest of the Malconsorts. In 2020, the wine was vinified with 80% whole clusters." Decanter 96p
"This is also firmly reduced and impossible to assess the nose. The mouthfeel of the slightly more concentrated flavors is sleeker still with excellent intensity and plenty of minerality on the compact and more structured finale that is markedly austere. This is a wine to buy and forget you own it because even though the dense but fine tannins are well-integrated, this is definitely in need to a long snooze in a cool cellar." Burghound.com 95p
