Leroy Burgundy Tasting/Dinner at Wine Watch

It's a naive domestic Burgundy without any breeding, but I think you'll be amused by its presumption.  James Thurber 1894 - 1961  Caption for cartoon in The New Yorker

I have been salivating about this event for the last month and at just under a two week away I am really starting to get excited.  This event featured one of the top names in Burgundy with vintages going back to the year that I was born 1969!  I have had this wine several times on my birthday and this is just one day after my big day so this is kind of a birthday celebration, well one if the nights that I am celebrating this year.  We started the birthday celebration out with a vertical of Pichon Lalande back to 1949 and we will be finishing on March 9th with a vertical of Chateau Mouton Rothschild back to the famous 1961 vintage!   

Leroy Wine Tasting/Dinner at Wine Watch
Friday March 4th
7:00pm

Every Year Lalou Bize-Leroy releases some wines from her magnificent cellar in Auxey-Duresses going back three decades or more. In 2008 we bought some things from the 1998, 1988 and 1978 vintages and 1988 just happens to be the first release of the Domaine wines from Leroy. Before 1988 the wines of this producer were that of a true negociant, and one of the most respected in all of Burgundy. Today they are still one of the most respected and highly sought after wines from Burgundy and can be considered to be a relative value if you look at the release prices of 2006 vintage wines from producers like Domaine de la Romanee Conti and George Comptes de Vogue, their top wines are selling for between $1000- $5000 per bottle. The most expensive bottle on this Leroy offering is under $2000/btl and has been aged at the cellars of Leroy for 30 years before making its way to you! This dinner will be a spectacular display of mature burgundies from one of the best of the best. We will be sampling a total of 10 wines from Leroy paired to a five course tasting menu, the fee for this tasting is $395 + tax, there are only 14 seats available for reservations call 954-523-9463.

"In her wines, Lalou seeks a magnified delineation of flavors. Each wine offers a kaleidoscope of sensation, each of which is distinct from the other with no blurring or muddiness. Because of this, it is virtually impossible to mistake one vineyard for another in a Domaine Leroy wine. Lalou seeks a degree of purity, allied to extraordinary concentration, that is almost unmatched by any other producer." - Matt Kramer, LA Times 

"Her wines are exactly what they should be as expressions of the terroirs from which they come." - Robert Finigan

"I have said it so many times that it may seem redundant, but " let me repeat it- Lalou Bize-Leroy stands alone at the top of Burgundy’s quality hierarchy. Because she is a perfectionist, and because she has the courage to produce wines from low yield and bottle them naturally, without fining or filtration." - Robert Parker

Tasting Wines

Whites

1998 Leroy Bourgogne Blanc
Price: $39.00    Sale $34.32
(10 bottles available)

Wine Watch Review:  Still with lots of ripe apple and lemon citrus fruit on the nose with notes of stone like mineral and lightly toasted oak spice. Very lively on the tongue with a good amount of zesty acidity a good mid palate of ripe fruit and nice spice notes through the finish. Finish 45+ VERY GOOD +

2004 Leroy Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru
Price: $149       Sale $131.16
(9 bottles available)

Reds

2007 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée "Aux Genaivrières"
Price: $405.00  Sale $356.4

(91 Points) A very ripe and expressive nose that is classic Vosne features highly spiced aromas of violets, rose petal and black cherry nuanced with hints of earth leads to impressively concentrated and comparatively powerful flavors that possess a velvety texture as well as much better than average volume and ample finishing punch, all wrapped in a finale where the firm tannins are almost invisible due to all of the buffering sap. Tasted: Apr 01, 2009 Drink: 2015+ - Comments: Outstanding

2007 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée "Les Beaux Monts"
Price: $669.00  Sale $588.72

(95 Points) A distinctly floral but noticeably cooler and more elegant nose that is strikingly complex as well as spicy, pure and airy merges into powerful and punchy medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a precise and hugely long and delineated finish. This is a beautifully balanced, focused and refined effort that will need every bit of at least a decade to really be at its best. Reference standard juice.

2000 Leroy Volnay 1er Cru Santenots
Price: $257.75  Sale $219
(9 in Stock)

(87-90 Points) Almost black with beautifully defined fruit and excellent underlying material but this suffers from a lack of mid-palate density relative to the best in this range. The flavors are nicely complex and supple and offer lovely elegance and refinement. I very much like this. Burghound Issue 5 Tasted: Jan 01, 2002 Drink: 2004-10

1986 Leroy Volnay Santenot 1er Cru
List $375          Sale $330
(2 in Stock)

(92 Points) The following wines are part of what Maison Leroy calls its Collection Series, most of which is being released on its 10th, 20th, 30th or 40th anniversary. All the wines have been stored in Leroy's cellars in Auxey-Duresses. Lalou Bize-Leroy

Tasting note: A complex and notably spicy sous bois-infused nose that is beautifully elegant and quite stylish that complements perfectly the round and almost fully resolved middle weight flavors that culminate in a delicious, velvety and sweet finish that is both powerful and long. This is a terrific '86 and one that is still full of vibrancy.  Tasted: Apr 01, 2006            Drink: now+  - Comments: Outstanding! Issue 22 Burghound

1988 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Price: $1242     Sale $1093
(10 bottles available)

(93 Points) Explosive, massive nose of earth, spice and essence of pinot. Leroy wines are famous for their intensity but this is at another level altogether, which when combined with the incredible power and richness creates a wine that makes a firm statement of excellence. For all its power and richness however, it's not especially complex and it comes across as delicious rather than profound. That said the wine positively revels in its power and richness. Burghound Issue 4, Tasted: Oct 01, 2001 Drink: 2003-9

1978 Leroy Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Price: $1875     Sale $1650
(10 bottles available)

(95 Points)  (from a recent Leroy cellar release). Heavy bricking but still with a ruby core. The icy Leroy cellar conditions definitely show as this is remarkably fresh and vibrant yet there is ample sous bois and secondary fruit in evidence that complements the nicely pure, complex and superbly rich medium full flavors that really stain the palate with extract on the still mildly austere but explosive finish. Like the '78 Mazis, this is not an elegant wine but the sheer depth and length are really something to behold. Note that initially there was a touch of funk but it quickly blew off.  Tasted: Apr 06, 2008  Drink: Now+  Burghound

1969 Leroy Savigny Les Beaune

This is a simple village wine that I purchased a few years ago in anticipation of my 40th Birthday.  I am down to the last few bottles in this case and everyone of them have been excellent to outstanding, especially when you consider this is a 40 year old village wine!

Dinner Menu

Selection of Traditional Cheese from Burgundy

Deconstructed Foie Gras cherry pie with savory whipped cream

Duck Confit served over raspberry natural sauce with wild mushroom epoisses and phyllo napoleon

Brown sugar Brie Cherry crisp with savory whipped cream

The fabulous 2007 vintage Leroy

Lalou Bize-Leroy calls 2007 a vintage where "we began picking quite early, at least by normal standards, which is to say on the 28th of August and continued through to the 13th of September. We have very low yields and this enabled the fruit to ripen fully even with a precocious harvest. As always, we did a thorough triage but wound up throwing out relatively little as the only real concern was a certain quantity of unripe berries. Sugars were very good at between 13 and 13.5% and we chaptalized very little. Our net yields were right around 20 hl/ha, which is about the same as the 19 to 20 that we had in 2006 though certainly more than the 15 that we obtained in 2005." Mme Bize, who is usually willing, if only reluctantly, to offer a comparison with older vintages demurred when I asked what other vintages might reasonably compare to 2007, observing simply that "it's different." I found the Leroy 2007 to be among the very best wines of the vintage and the low yields definitely allowed the phenolics to reach a high level of ripeness. 2007, like 2006, is among the more elegant vintages that I have experienced chez Leroy among recent vintages. As I observed last year, those readers who sometimes find the Leroy wines to lack elegance because they are so concentrated, then both the '06s and the '07s should appeal more because they have impressive elegance and display more finesse than certain other, more concentrated, recent vintages, most notably 2005. The Leroy '07s were bottled in December, 2008.  Burghound

2007 Leroy Savigny Les Beaune Les Narbantons
Price: $525       Sale $462
(3 bottles available)

(92 Points) Mild reduction knocks down the expressiveness of the nose though there is good freshness and vibrancy to the very rich, full and pungently earthy flavors that completely coat the mouth on the beguilingly textured, intense and palate staining finish that delivers huge length though there is a slight trace of warmth discernable right at the very end. Still, this is blessed with so much material that this should impress. Note that I strongly suggest decanting this for at least 30 minutes first if you elect to try a bottle in its youth. , Allen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Pommard Les Vignots
Price: $405       Sale $356.40
(6 bottles available)

(89 Points) This is quite ripe with plum and violet aromas nuanced by warm earth hints that can also be found on the very round and relatively approachable middle weight flavors that possess a velvety mouth feel on the lightly mineral suffused finish. Solid if not exceptional quality for its level. , Allen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Nuits St.Georges Aux Allots
Price: $405       Sale $356.40
(3 bottles available)

(88 Points) This too is quite ripe with an earthy and slightly more complex nose that features red and blue berry fruit that is liberally laced with a pungent earthiness that continues onto the round, supple and rather forward medium-bodied flavors that coat the mouth with extract and I like the rich and pure finish that is underpinned by moderately firm tannins. 89 Points, Allen Meadows' Burghound (Mar 2010) Good deep red. More brooding, powerful nose shows a peppery nuance. Tightly wound and slow to show itself; not a fleshy wine but more powerful than the Lavieres. A bit youthfully dry today and in need of patience. Stephen Tanzer's Int'l Cellar (Mar 2010)

2007 Leroy Nuits St.Georges Aux Lavieres
Price: $405       Sale $356.40
(3 bottles available)

(89 Points) A more deeply pitched nose that is extremely pure with beautifully complex red pinot fruit trimmed in obvious notes of stone and underbrush that merge gracefully into detailed, racy and focused flavors that possess good energy and a slightly longer but also slightly edgy finish. While certainly very pretty, this will clearly benefit from a few years in the cellar to round out.  Alleen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Nuits St.Georges Aux Boudots
Price: $669       Sale $589
(3 bottles available)

(93 Points) A reserved yet high-toned nose that is intensely spicy and includes notes of anise, clove, cinnamon and hoisin-infused black berry fruit aromas and this spiciness continues onto the rich, ripe and strikingly intense broad-shouldered flavors that are sweet and suave yet manage to retain a fine sense of detail on the seductive and notably long finish. This isn't quite as concentrated as the Vignerondes but it's equally powerful.  Allen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Romanee Saint Vivant Grand Cru
Price: $989       Sale $870
(3 bottles available)

(96 points) "The most aromatically complex wine to this point with seductively attractive earthy red berry fruit aromas that offer an exuberant spiciness with a contrasting touch of underbrush which merge into elegant and very fine mineral-infused middle weight flavors that are rich, intense and possess impressive mid-palate concentration as well as a subtle minerality. I very much like the poise this wine displays as it's harmonious, transparent and beautifully well-balanced. This is perhaps not as concentrated as the biggest of these eight grands crus but the impeccable harmony confers a Zen-like calm to this wine."  Burghound

2007 Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru
Price: $989       Sale $870
(3 bottles available)

(96 points) " A deep, brooding and almost taciturn nose of ripe black berry fruit, intense violet notes and spice hints and warm earth gives way to sweet, rich and exceptionally fresh big-bodied flavors that are textured and completely saturate the palate with buckets of dry extract while at the same time buffering the ripe but very firm tannins, all wrapped in a stunningly long finish that has some of the best overall complexity of the entire range. This too will need ample patience but should more than reward the wait. A knock-out." Burghound

2007 Leroy Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Price: $989       Sale $870
(6 bottles available)

(95 Points) A surprisingly elegant and dense red berry fruit nose that is at once earthy and ever so mildly animale delivers breathtaking complexity complements to perfection the big, rich and sleekly muscled flavors that are very firmly structured but not aggressively so and the sheer depth of material on the palate-drenching but youthfully austere finish is outstanding. This is a powerful Clos de Vougeot that, like several of these grands crus, will need plenty of cellar time. Allen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Price: $989       Sale $870
(1 bottles available)

(96 points)  "Here the nose is completely, even radically different with much more deeply pitched red and blue fruit aromas nuanced by notes of the sauvage, underbrush, leather and tea that are in perfect keeping with the powerful, fresh and sleekly muscled flavors blessed with ample underlying mid-palate sap and a serious, indeed almost brooding quality yet the finish explodes on the phenomenally long backend. This is a comparatively big but balanced effort that should age gracefully for years."  Burghound

2007 Leroy Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru
Price: $989       Sale $870
(1 bottles available)

(95 Points) A distinctly cool and reserved yet elegant nose of red berry, plum, violets, spice and pure dark cherry aromas slides gracefully and seamlessly into naturally sweet, precise, mineral-driven and mouth filling flavors underpinned by buried tannins and absolutely terrific length. This is a vibrant and very sophisticated wine with a seductive inner-mouth perfume that is at once stylish and classy. Allen Meadows' Burghound (Apr 2009)

2007 Leroy Chambertin Grand Cru
Price: $2020     Sale $1777
(1 bottles available)

2007 Leroy Gevrey Chambertin
Price: $989       Sale $870
(6 bottles available)

Older Vintages of Leroy available:

All of these wines were purchased directly from the cellars of Leroy and their provenance is impeccable.

2006 Leroy Bourgogne Blanc
Price: $53         Sale $46.64      Case $541
(20 bottles available)

2006 Leroy Bourgogne Blanc Aligote
Price: $58.75    Sale $51.70
(14 bottles available)

2006 Leroy Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
Price: $734.25  Sale $646.16
(20 bottles available)

2006 Leroy Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Du Milieu                          
List $734.50     Sale $646
(2 bottles Available)

(92 Points)  The Leroy 2006 Volnay Santenots du Milieu is initially more low-key in its dark berry and forest floor aromatics than most of its stable mates, but haunting, freesia-like perfume and spices evolve in the glass as it opens to the air. It boasts a soothingly supple patina and its dark fruits seem to sweeten even more as they glide into a long, buoyant finish. This captures and combines some of the most winsome virtues of both its village and vintage.

The results achieved by Lalou Bize-Leroy in 2006 are all the more notable in view of the misgivings she expressed early on about this vintage. (And, as her reaction to 2004 demonstrates, she will not shy away from declassifying even her entire production if she feels that the wines are not up to their terroir pedigrees.) As voluptuously rich as are Bize-Leroy's 2006 reds, they preserve the sense of buoyancy and elegance common to so many of the standouts of this vintage, and one's gums will not come away fatigued by the strength of underlying tannin or the near-hyper-concentration displayed by her " to be sure awesome " 2005s. As every year, these wines represent meticulous vine manicure; miniscule yields ("above all regulated by severe pruning, not triage," Bize-Leroy emphasizes); and fidelity to biodynamic methods and metaphysics; and were bottled in the second December following the harvest. Despite their winsomeness, they have long life expectancies. Since, however, I have very little experience of their predecessors as they have matured, I have confined my prognostication to a few isolated and very general comments in the tasting notes that follow. Note that I have included as well under the heading "Leroy" the wines of Madame Bize-Leroy's Domaine d'Auvenay " its cellars located outside Saint-Romain " which now encompass two appellations in red, since inevitably when information is being sought about these wines, and even often when they are described, it is under the name "Leroy."  Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009

2006 Leroy Pommard Les Vignots
Price: $460       Sale $405
(2 bottles available)

(90 Points)  A site-typically smoky, "ferrous" pungency along with ripe dark cherry fruit rises from the glass of Leroy 2006 Pommard Les Vignots, which then comes to the palate subtly meat broth-like; persistently mineral; and brimming with juicy and ingratiating ripe fruit. This is one of those select Pommards of the vintage that has real spring in its step and elegant tannic attire.  Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009

2005 Leroy Pommard Premier Cru
Price: $242       Sale $213
(30 bottles available)

2005 Leroy Aloxe Corton Premier Cru
Price: $221       Sale $194
(10 bottles available)

2005 Leroy Pommard Les Vignots
Price: $425.50  Sale $374.44
(10 bottles available)

(91 Points)  From a combe high above the village, Leroy’s 2005 Pommard Les Vignots displays a fascinating nose of roasted meats and jasmine, coats the palate with polished, creamy, chocolate-covered plums and reduced meat stock, and finishes with excellent persistence, sweetness but clarity of fruit, and subtle notes of wet stone, wood smoke and flowers. Only belatedly do the abundant tannins catch up with my palate.  Wine Advocate # 171, Jun 2007

2005 Leroy Savigny Les Beaune Rouge
Price: $123       Sale $108.25
(12 bottles available)

2005 Leroy Volnay
Price: $144.50  Sale $127
(14 bottles available)

2004 Leroy Nuits St. Georges
Price: $230       Sale $202.50
(13 bottles available)

"Surprisingly, given the vineyards blended into the respective cuvées, this is actually more elegant than the Bourgogne with a floral and wonderfully spicy aromatic profile and delicious, sweet, textured and intense medium full flavors that are powerful, muscular and powerful, all wrapped in a strikingly long finish. This is a 'wow' wine." - Burghound

2002 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Price: $950.00  Sale $836
Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points)  Madame Leroy fashions her Clos Vougeot from three parcels located at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom of this renowned grand cru. Super-ripe, waxy blackberries are intermingled with spices in its expressive nose. This extremely expansive, generous wine is fresh, pure, and boasts superb tannin. It has exceptional depth, concentration, and complexity. Copious quantities of red and black fruits are intermingled with Asian spices in its nuanced flavor profile. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.  Wine Advocate # 153, Jun 2004

2000 Leroy Volnay 1er Cru Santenots                                
List $257.75     Sale $226.82
(9 bottles Available)

(91 Points)  Soy sauce, spices, and black fruits are found in the nose of the 2000 Volnay Santenots. Big, bold, powerful, and concentrated, it is a medium-bodied wine packed with blackberries, violets, and cassis. Its silky-textured personality reveals a long, soft, fruit-filled finish. It should be drunk over the next 8 years.

Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy liked both the 2000 and 2001 vintages, stating that she was "rather pleased with the 2001s as they will bring lots of joy to those who drink them young" and that the 2000s "are candied fruit, reduction of fruit, the essence of fruit."

Many Burgundians chose to bottle their 2001 early in order to "trap" the fruit in the bottle, but Bize-Leroy beat them all to the punch, having completed the bottling process by early September, 2002. Typically an early bottler, Mme. Bize-Leroy felt that the 2001s would lose their fruit to either oxidation or the required sulfuring if left in the barrel for a longer elevage. Overall, Domaine Leroy’s 2001s are a success, though many were found to reveal stemmy, woody tannin in their finishes. If this characteristic melts away quickly, my scores on those wines will appear overly conservative.  Wine Advocate # 147, Jun 2003

2000 Leroy Beaune Premier Cru Marconnets
Price: $91         Sale $80
(2 bottles available)

(96 Points) Madame Leroy fashions her Clos Vougeot from three parcels located at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom of this renowned grand cru. Super-ripe, waxy blackberries are intermingled with spices in its expressive nose. This extremely expansive, generous wine is fresh, pure, and boasts superb tannin. It has exceptional depth, concentration, and complexity. Copious quantities of red and black fruits are intermingled with Asian spices in its nuanced flavor profile. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.  Wine Advocate # 153, Jun 2004

2000 Leroy Cotes De Beaune Village
Price: $100.75              Sale $88.55
(5 bottles available)

1988 Leroy Vosne Romanee les Beaunonts 1er Cru
Price: $885                   Sale $778
(9 bottles available)

(89 Points)  This wine is excellent, displaying fine ripeness, good tannins, sound acidity, and a concentrated, nicely textured feel on the palate. The 1988 vintage attests to a remarkably auspicious start for the new Domaine Leroy in Vosne-Romanee.  Burgundy Book # B2, Jan 1990

1978 Leroy Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru              
List $2208        Sale $1943
(12 Bottles Available)

(94 Points)  (from a recent Leroy cellar release). Bricking but still with a ruby core.An intensely savage element dominates the sous bois-infused nose that precedes the relatively fresh, intense, rich and sweet full-bodied flavors that finish with serious power and length. This is not an elegant wine but it's very Mazis and in exceptional condition as it should continue at this plateau for years to come. Moreover, the complexity here is flat out superb and the only nit that holds this back from the next level is a subtle trace of finishing warmth but otherwise, this is a truly great example of the vineyard.  Burghound Tasted: Apr 06, 2008          Drink: Now

1978 Leroy Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru Serpentieres     
List $552          Sale $486
(12 bottles available)

1978 Leroy Volnay 1er Cru Santenots                                
List $712.25     Sale $626.75
(12 bottles available)

The Volnay appellation includes 30 Premiers Crus "climats" (named plots), Santenots is a separate "climat" lying within the Volnay appellation and classified as Premier Cru.  This 1978 vintage is drinking at its peak, this is a classic vintage for Burgundy and these wines have come directly from the Domaine. 

1978 Leroy Vosne Romanee 1er Cru                                  
List $911          Sale $801.50
(12 bottles available)

(93 Points)  (from a recent Leroy cellar release). Bricked completely through to the center. Despite the total bricking, there is still a sense of freshness to the wonderfully spicy and expressive nose that is now largely dominated by sous bois-infused aromas and this sense of vibrancy continues onto the minerally and beautifully detailed flavors that finish with first rate complexity and excellent length. If there is a nit, it's that the is a very subtle touch of dryness that does not pose a problem over the next few years but probably will in time. This is a really impressive effort that is very Vosne in character.  Burghound   Tasted: Apr 06, 2008   Drink: Now