2000 Domaine Robert Arnoux Romanée-Saint-Vivant

Tasting Context

Opened alongside other Vosne producers Mugneret-Gibourg and Comte Liger-Belair, this bottle was the most perfumed and lift-driven of the flight. Where some 2000s can be lacking definition at 25 years of age, the Arnoux RSV stayed focused: red-fruited, spice-laced, and silken. The setting was one of my favorite Chinese fine dining restaurants, where the wine’s perfume and finesse found a perfect counterpoint to the layered, delicate dishes.

Wine Information

• Producer: Domaine Robert Arnoux

• Vintage: 2000

• Appellation: Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru

• Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

• Alcohol: 12.8%

• Farming: Lutte raisonnée with strict sorting

• Élevage: 18 months in 100% new French oak

• Bottling: Estate-bottled; unfined and unfiltered

• Estimated Production: ~1200 bottles

Vintage Overview – 2000

2000 in Vosne-Romanée was a demanding vintage: a wet spring and uneven flowering raised disease risks, and many domaines engaged in very tight sorting. By late August and early September, a stretch of warm, dry weather allowed grapes in prime sites like Romanée-Saint-Vivant to approach physiological ripeness with clean fruit. For Arnoux, RSV harvested in the first half of September. An elegant, open vintage, one that rewards tenderness and clarity over weight and extraction.

Winemaker Profile – Pascal Lachaux

By 2000, Pascal Lachaux had been making the wines at his father-in-law’s estate for over a decade, emphasizing lower yields, careful selection, and generous oak for the grands crus. The domaine was still Domaine Robert Arnoux (it became Arnoux-Lachaux from the 2007 vintage), with Pascal steering both vineyard work and cellar choices after Robert’s passing in 1995. 

Vineyard Overview – Romanée-Saint-Vivant

• RSV size & setting: ~9.4 ha total; the most perfumed of the Vosne grands crus, bordered by Romanée-Conti/Richebourg to the west and La Grande Rue to the south. DRC is the largest owner at 5.28 ha. 

• Arnoux holding: ~0.35 ha, acquired in 1984 (ex-Thomas-Moillard). The parcel sits beside La Grande Rue in the southern corner of RSV. 

• Vine age: Oldest planted in 1926. At the 2000 harvest these vines were roughly ~74 years old—a key to the wine’s perfume and fine tannin. 

Tasting Notes

Pop and poured and served alongside Peking duck.

Appearance:

• Medium ruby; light bricking at the rim

Nose:

• Rose petal, dried violet, sandalwood

• Red cherry, wild strawberry, orange zest

• Gentle sous-bois and cedar after more air

Palate:

• Silken, mid-weight red fruit

• Spice box, tea leaf, and a chalk-lined core

• More lace than heft—classic RSV

Finish:

• Long, perfumed, and graceful—spice and flowers linger for 90+ seconds

Overall Impression:

The 2000 Arnoux Romanée-Saint-Vivant shows how RSV performs in lighter years: less about weight, more about perfume and finesse. Old vines from 1926 gave aromatic lift and fine tannins, even if concentration is modest by grand cru standards. Compared to 1999 or 2002 it lacks depth, but it delivers transparency, silk, and floral clarity.

Market Commentary

Arnoux’s 2000 RSV launched at ~$90/bottle. Current retail averages for the 2000 sit roughly around the high-three to low-four figures per bottle when available, representing a 10-15X return. Despite the astronomical returns, the 2000 is still priced well below recent vintages of Arnoux-Lachaux.

Wolf Call

If you see it, buy it—as a relative value. Among the grands crus of Vosne, this remains one of the more affordable tickets into Romanée-Saint-Vivant. At a fraction of the cost of DRC or Leroy, it delivers the vineyard’s hallmark perfume, silk, and spice, even in a lighter year like 2000. This is not a bottle to lock away for decades, but at current pricing it’s a smart way to experience RSV’s signature elegance without paying blue-chip premiums.