Articles / NewsVive Leroy
James Halliday, February 7, 2010If Robert Parker, Allen Meadows (of Burghound fame), Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator), Clive Coates MW (the most prolific writer on Burgundy) and Andrew Jefford (author of The New France) all line up in unstinting praise of one Burgundy producer, you know two things. The wines will be seriously expensive, and you’ll have to fight your way across hot coals to get any.
The producer in question is Domaine Leroy, the vast fiefdom of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy. It operates in tandem with the negociant business Maison Leroy, founded by her great-grandfather in 1868, and expanded significantly by her father. It has one million bottles dating back to 1919 for sale, the prices sufficiently stratospheric to keep most would-be buyers at bay.
The exclusive Australian importer of the minuscule quantities of Leroy (Maison and Domaine) is Patrick Walsh of Cellarhand, who joined forces with Randall’s (a Melbourne retailer) to allow Randall’s to stage an $1850 per head dinner at Church Street Enoteca featuring the best wines of the Domaine from 2006.
The 12 guests were presented with 17 wines, including five premier crus and nine grand crus. The wines served, their retail prices (where available in December 2009) and Allen Meadows’ points for each wine follow. The first flight of four were Pommard Les Vignots ($750, 89 points); Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons ($850, 92 points); Nuits St Georges ($750, 90 points); and Vosne-Romanee Les Genevrieres (NA, 91 points).
All four wines in the next bracket were premier crus, a marked lift in quality and price (all retail at $1350): Nuits St Georges Aux Boudots (93 points); Vosne Romanee Cru Les Beaux Monts (95 points); Chambolle Musigny Cru Les Charmes (94 points); and Gevrey Chambertin Cru Aux Combottes (93 points).
From here we moved to the grand crus at $1975 where available; NA where no stock remains: Corton-Renardes (96 points); Romanee St Vivant (NA, 98 points); Richebourg (NA, 96 points); and Clos Vougeot (95 points). The fifth and final flight began with a bang, the Musigny (NA, 97 points); then Clos de la Roche (95 points); Latricières Chambertin (96 points); and finished with a whimper, the grossly flawed, sulphidic Chambertin ($2250, no points).
2006 Latricieres Chambertin
Produced from 0.57ha owned by Leroy, regarded by Clive Coates as a “second division” grand cru, even though he approves of Leroy’s wine. For me it was one of the wines of the night, with a totally delicious bouquet and entry to the mouth, the palate of striking elegance and finesse. I was totally in agreement with Meadows’ points. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2031
Price: $1975
2006 Nuits St Georges Aux Boudots
A premier cru from 1.19ha of estate plantings. Aux Boudots abuts Vosne Romanee Malconsorts, which in turn lies next to La Tâche; all commentators agree that Boudots has far more to do with Vosne Romanee than Nuits St Georges. It is one of my perennial favourites, and this Leroy wine did not disappoint. It has an excellent bouquet, very fragrant but also very complex, the almost glossy cherry fruit building intensity on the long finish, supported by a fine filigree of tannins. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Rating: 93 points
Drink: to 2021
Price: $1350
2006 Vosne Romanee Les Beaux Monts
This premier cru comes from a healthy 2.61ha, a holding that may partially explain why Lalou Bize-Leroy believes Les Beaux Monts should be raised to grand cru status. It also lies between Echezeaux (grand cru) and Richebourg (grand cru), adding weight to Lalou’s belief, but no one else believes it should be elevated. This wine has a bouquet full of exotic Asian spices that set the tone for a very long and distinctly tangy palate. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Ratings: 95 points
Drink: to 2026
Price: $1350
The producer in question is Domaine Leroy, the vast fiefdom of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy. It operates in tandem with the negociant business Maison Leroy, founded by her great-grandfather in 1868, and expanded significantly by her father. It has one million bottles dating back to 1919 for sale, the prices sufficiently stratospheric to keep most would-be buyers at bay.
The exclusive Australian importer of the minuscule quantities of Leroy (Maison and Domaine) is Patrick Walsh of Cellarhand, who joined forces with Randall’s (a Melbourne retailer) to allow Randall’s to stage an $1850 per head dinner at Church Street Enoteca featuring the best wines of the Domaine from 2006.
The 12 guests were presented with 17 wines, including five premier crus and nine grand crus. The wines served, their retail prices (where available in December 2009) and Allen Meadows’ points for each wine follow. The first flight of four were Pommard Les Vignots ($750, 89 points); Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons ($850, 92 points); Nuits St Georges ($750, 90 points); and Vosne-Romanee Les Genevrieres (NA, 91 points).
All four wines in the next bracket were premier crus, a marked lift in quality and price (all retail at $1350): Nuits St Georges Aux Boudots (93 points); Vosne Romanee Cru Les Beaux Monts (95 points); Chambolle Musigny Cru Les Charmes (94 points); and Gevrey Chambertin Cru Aux Combottes (93 points).
From here we moved to the grand crus at $1975 where available; NA where no stock remains: Corton-Renardes (96 points); Romanee St Vivant (NA, 98 points); Richebourg (NA, 96 points); and Clos Vougeot (95 points). The fifth and final flight began with a bang, the Musigny (NA, 97 points); then Clos de la Roche (95 points); Latricières Chambertin (96 points); and finished with a whimper, the grossly flawed, sulphidic Chambertin ($2250, no points).
2006 Latricieres Chambertin
Produced from 0.57ha owned by Leroy, regarded by Clive Coates as a “second division” grand cru, even though he approves of Leroy’s wine. For me it was one of the wines of the night, with a totally delicious bouquet and entry to the mouth, the palate of striking elegance and finesse. I was totally in agreement with Meadows’ points. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2031
Price: $1975
2006 Nuits St Georges Aux Boudots
A premier cru from 1.19ha of estate plantings. Aux Boudots abuts Vosne Romanee Malconsorts, which in turn lies next to La Tâche; all commentators agree that Boudots has far more to do with Vosne Romanee than Nuits St Georges. It is one of my perennial favourites, and this Leroy wine did not disappoint. It has an excellent bouquet, very fragrant but also very complex, the almost glossy cherry fruit building intensity on the long finish, supported by a fine filigree of tannins. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Rating: 93 points
Drink: to 2021
Price: $1350
2006 Vosne Romanee Les Beaux Monts
This premier cru comes from a healthy 2.61ha, a holding that may partially explain why Lalou Bize-Leroy believes Les Beaux Monts should be raised to grand cru status. It also lies between Echezeaux (grand cru) and Richebourg (grand cru), adding weight to Lalou’s belief, but no one else believes it should be elevated. This wine has a bouquet full of exotic Asian spices that set the tone for a very long and distinctly tangy palate. 13.5% alc/vol; cork
Ratings: 95 points
Drink: to 2026
Price: $1350
