| Over 2 000 reviews |  4.80/5 |
 |
Wine and spirits masterpieces to your doorstep
Original 3-bottle wooden case.
Free delivery from 300€ in Europe and from 1000 €/$ in USA
Secure packaging and transport insurance
The history of Maison Leroy began in 1968 when François Leroy, winemaker and owner of vineyards in Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot and Richebourg, decided to create a structure with the aim of expanding.
During the second part of the twentieth century, his son's efforts were rewarded with various medals and Grands Prix in both France and Belgium. However, it was not until the arrival of Henri Leroy in 1919, the third generation, that things really changed. Highly invested in the business, he led it to a meteoric rise.
A few years later, in 1942, Maison Leroy became the owner of half the shares in Romanée-Conti's Domaine. Henry would devote the rest of his life to the estate, giving his all to create the jewel we know today.
Lalou Bize-Leroy, Henri's daughter and a grande dame of the Burgundy wine world, joined the adventure in 1955. She quickly followed in her father's footsteps, becoming President and General Manager of Maison Leroy as well as co-manager of Romanée-Conti Domaine. An unrivalled taster and connoisseur of the terroirs of Bourgogne, she will always strive for the best. This quest for perfection led her in 1988 to buy several Domaines and cultivate them biodynamically, making her a pioneer in the field.
Topping out at 21 hectares 99 ares 66 centiares, Domaine Leroy today boasts 9 Grands Crus, 8 Premiers Crus, 9 Villages and a few generic Bourgognes. With its racy terroirs, it offers us each vintage confidential cuvées of incredible richness.
Find below WineAdvocate's Neal Martin's commentary in English on December 31, 2015:
"The 2014 Pommard les Vignots has a very elegant bouquet, very pure and self-contained with bright red cherry fruit.
The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and acidity, red cherry and a touch of spice on the structured, slightly brittle finish. Very fine.
Instantly I saw that they cellar was occupied by a few more barrels than last year, the yields a tad higher at a still very modest 21 hectoliters per hectare.
Lalou told me that July and August was rather poor in terms of the weather, but matters improved after August 15 and that she ended up picking from September 17. "I like the 2014s a lot.
They are very 'jolie'," she tells me, flitting between barrels, making sure that each is not too reduced before giving the nod to pour into my glass.
"But the 2014s are different to the 2013s. They were more 'gentile.' I find these a little more tannic than the 2013s, with very good acidity levels.
The pH was around 3.30. I find the very precise with lovely fruit." Lalou traditionally bottles earlier than her peers and she told me that she intends to bottle in December.
Though there was some reduction to overcome, it is clear that the 2014s represent a very fine vintage for the domaine and I found the wines as Lalou described, full of energy and nervousness, precise and mineral-driven, not overtly powerful wines but with what you might call "streamlined intensity" -- and often deliriously silky-smooth textures.
No doubt there will be difficultly to find and warrant a second mortgage, but these are seriously fine expressions of the vintage crafted by a one-off who truly deserves the title of 'legend.'
As you expect, these are wines that, like Lalou, are full of energy despite the reduction that one inevitably encounters out of barrel.
They are very terroir-specific, perhaps not abiding by the Burgundy hierarchy as much as other vintages; that is to say, some of the premier crus I thoughts ranked equal to the grand crus and vice versa.
The grands crus are exceptional, especially the Richebourg, which ranks as one of the finest 2014s that I tasted.
This is closely followed by the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Musigny and Chambertin, incidentally the latter augmented by a new acquisition that the domaine are currently converting to biodynamic viticulture.
Some of the village crus are truly wonderful and I was particularly taken with the Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Allots this year".
