The latest release of the Maison Leroy wines caused a stir at Waters Wine as we had never had the opportunity to taste a Leroy wine before. A legend in the wine world, Lalou Bize-Leroy was until 1992 a co director of the Domaine de la Romanee Conti. After leaving DRC she focused her efforts on the family business, which now occupies 21 hectares of some of the greatest vineyard sites in the world.
The estate is run with obsessive attention to detail. Biodynamic, low yields, only the ripest grapes are hand harvested and a further strict fruit selection applied. The grapes are fermented in large format oak, without destemming or crushing. Regular pushing down of the cap and moving the fermenting juice from under the cap to the top ensures the wines are incredibly fresh, detailed, coloured and powerful. Lalou Bize-Leroy is an incomparable winemaker and her wines are the most concentrated, dense, thrilling wines that Burgundy has to offer.
For the Bourgogne Blanc and Rouge, Maison Leroy does not specify who grows the grapes or where they are sourced from, although it is fun trying to guess. Both wines are from superb vintages and are released only when Lalou Bize-Leroy believes them to be ready. That said, both wines will be very long lived, but after a bottle it may be difficult to restrain yourself.
Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc 2016 – Despite the severely reduced yields from the frost-ravaged 2016 vintage, Lalou Bize-Leroy, has produced a superb Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc. Ripe, open, pretty nose of white flowers, peach, citrus and honey, with hints of nutmeg and wet stone. A honeyed texture and plenty of fruit and mineral input. A sense of succulence continues through the piquant, mouth-watering finish.
Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2014 – The powerful but pretty Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 2014 was released a year later than the ’15 as Madame felt it needed more time. Shades of both light and dark, with coolness at the same time as brooding, dark earthy tones. Spicy cherry and blackberry fruit over gravel. Good sense of depth to the palate, which has immediate power and firm acidity to kick it along. Chewy but fine tannins frame the palate of this modern and fresh Bourgogne Rouge with substance and presence.