A notably more elegant and more complex nose offers up aromas of ripe white and yellow orchard fruit, fennel and pain grillé hints. There is good volume, richness and generosity to the concentrated and solidly persistent finish that displays a bit less overall depth than the best of these 1ers, at least at present. Tasted: Feb 01, 2011 Score: 89-92 Drink: 2015+ Issue  Allen Meadows, Burghound

I met on this visit with Erwan Faiveley's second in command Bernard Hervet as Faiveley is completing an MBA in New York. He described 2009 as a vintage that is "ripe and warm but without any heaviness. I could smell mocha in the fruit and this only happens in vintages where the seeds attain a high level of ripeness. We began picking the reds on the 7th of September and brought in impeccably clean fruit and quite a bit of it as yields were generous but it's important to note that they were not ridiculous. The amount of destemming varied considerably, indeed between 0% and 100%. We did a classic vinification of about three weeks and the colors came quickly. We used a bit less new wood and what we did use was with a very light toast. As to the wines, I would compare the 2009 vintage with 1959 or 1964, which is to say other very ripe vintages with large yields. In 2009, the classification hierarchy is well and truly in evidence as each level is clearly better than its precedent. There also isn't much difference in quality between the two Côtes, which is something that you can't always say. I have noticed though that 2009 really shines between Corton and Nuits St. Georges as the wines are finer than they typically are. Overall, the most important aspect of the vintage though is that it produced balanced wines and thus they are going to age much better than people presently give them credit for." Note: all wines with the exception of the Bourgogne, the Blagny and the Santenots are from Domaine fruit. Allen Meadows, Burghound

Intense color, varying between deep garnet and dark ruby. This Moulin a Vent is suggestive of both flowers and fruit, particularly violets and cherries. Well structured with moderate tannins, delicately spiced, it offers complexity and good length, elegance and harmony, power and velvet.

This aromatic red shows nice grippy tannins, but it's well-balanced, with a thread of minerality running through it. Offers attractive flavors of ripe cherry, blackberry and fig, followed by a tight, juicy finish. Drink now through 2015. 8,000 cases made. 90 Points; Alison Napjus; The Wine Spectator

This was my favorite of the 2009 Flower entries from Duboeuf. It is bright ruby colored and opens with a very faint strawberry bouquet. On the palate, this medium bodied, balanced, fruit forward, and smooth. The flavor profile is a very tasty blend of strawberry and mild raspberry. The finish is dry and its tannins are moderate and stick around for just a little while. This wine has elegance that makes it food friendly. I would pair it with a lightly seasoned pork tenderloin. KWG Wine Guide (US)

The Duboeuf 2009 Moulin-a-Vent betrays its small contingent of barrel in the nose as hints of resin and lanolin, along with cassis, dark cherry, violet, and sage. Suggestions of sage and cassis leaf along with the wine’s distinct salinity mark it as a bit reduced, but especially after administering a good shaking, this displays imposing amplitude and persistent dark fruit ripeness without either superficial sweetness or heat. Score: David Schildknecht, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Considered one of the finest winemakers in France, Dominique Lafon produces coveted white Burgundies from some of the greatest vineyards in the Cote de Beaune. Always hungry for new challenges, he purchased 14 hectares of vines in the Maconnais in 1999. He believes strongly in the potential of the region, but feels that too few vignerons have attempted to realize that potential. Thus, in the very same spirit he runs his renowned Meursault property, Dominique utilizes biodynamic viticulture, intense soil rejuvenation, tight yield control, and rigorous green harvesting to produce some of the most complex, vibrant and impressive wines the region has ever seen.

There’s impressive aromatic intensity. Some agrume flavour. Lovely mineral flavours with just the right amount of sweetness – fab! Burgundy-Report.com

An expressive nose offers up notes of white flower and ripe exotic yellow and orange fruit that introduces intense and beautifully detailed medium-bodied flavors that possess fine dry extract levels that confer a sappy character to the lingering finish. This is impressive as it's even finer than the Clos du Four. Also worth considering." (Tasted: Oct 01, 2010) 88-91 points Allen Meadows; Burghound

Dominique Lafon reaffirmed what he has said from the very beginning, which is that "our vineyards are adapting very well to our biodynamic viticultural philosophy and after the last few years of putting various programs in place, the vines clearly are moving out of the transitionary phase. I'm very excited by this because it means that we should see even better fruit quality in the years ahead. As to 2006, it's definitely a very ripe year and the date of the harvest was even more important than it usually is. I waited until September 15th to begin the harvest, bringing in yields of 50 to 60 hl/ha and the sugars were sufficient that there was no chaptalization. Acidities were not as high as I like them however and while I didn't correct the acidities, I did block half the malos in some wines. Overall, 2006 is a nice if not a great vintage but because our fruit quality keeps climbing, we get a little better each vintage, or at least that's my impression." As is often the case chez Lafon, some of the malos were extremely long and slow and thus the Maranges was not rated.

The recent malos is evident as the nose is quite reduced but the racy, pure, intense and stony middle weight flavors are impressively detailed and the energetic finish also brims with an intense minerality. This seems most promising and it could very well be Lafon's best 2006. Tasted: Oct 01, 2007 Score: 88-91 Drink: 2009+ Comments: Outstanding! Top value Issue 28 Allen Meadows; Burghound

Lamy has 2.4 hectares in this appellation with the vines planted in 1935, 1960 and 1985. This is delicious and much more textural than previous releases we’ve offered of this wine. Oodles of lovely, ripe, fleshy mandarin, candied peel noted fruit and along, fresh finish. Delicious. 

Outstanding Top value. There is very mild reduction present but it's not enough to hide the otherwise lively white flower, lemon rind and wet stone aromas that precede attractively textured, intense and admirably pure flavors that exude a real sense of energy and punch on the highly persistent finish. This is a wine of harmony and finesse but also ample personality. Drink: 2015+ 90-92 points. Allen Meadows, Burghound.com Issue 43, 2011

Final assemblage prepared and tasted at the Domaine. The Frionnes is a touch reticent on the nose although there is tangible sense of cold granite underneath. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, lovely poise with touches of white peach and a hint of guava towards the vibrant, zesty finish. Good length. Tasted January 2011. 91-93 Points; Neal Martin; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

The Château de Thulon is from a 50-year-old vineyard in Lantignié, one of the best villages in Beaujolais due to its slopes and granite soil, which produces a wine with a bright red colour and a fresh and fruity nose. It’s almost always at its best within two years of release, although the 2009 has a bit more structure than usual. The wine is made in the 12th-century cellar of the château, which belongs to Jean-Marc’s great aunt. The name is a registered trademark, exclusive to Burgaud.

Dark crimson, vibrant colour. Polished, dense, mineral-scented fruit and quite a bit of tannin. Despite the relatively lowly appellation, I would wait a while before tackling this. Really quite as serious as many a cru Beaujolais. Still very firm but very impressive. 17 points, drink N-2014. 12.5% alc. Jancis Robinson

Vinified with stems and whole clusters and with a single pumpover on each of seven days, the Chateau de Thulon smells of ripe blackberry and cassis with a subtly smoky, saline, not unpleasantly sweaty overtone. Ripe yet by no means superficially sweet black fruits and invigorating salinity persist on a seamlessly rich but refreshing palate. This lovely exemplar of its ubiquitous appellation should be enjoyed over the next 12-18 months. 89 points. David Schildknecht; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Jean Marc Burgaud is one of only eight winemakers in Beaujolais rated five stars by Robert Parker Jnr’s Wine Buyer’s Guide. Wine Advocate expert David Schildknecht says: “Burgaud is ensconced in an impressive new facility and as usual brimming with ideas about how he is going to make what are among his region’s handful of most exciting wines even better.” Serena Sutcliffe MW adds her endorsement to Burgaud’s work: “This young grower makes old-vine Beaujolais as if it were Burgundy, oak-aged and built for the long haul.”

One of the measures of Jean-Marc’s ability is that the wine from his first vintage, 1992 – marred by torrential rain that led to split berries – is still drinking beautifully. When people marvel at his 09s, 08s, 07s, 05s, 02s, 00s, 98s, etc, he reminds them that the true measure of great terroir is what it can produce in a difficult vintage. Just how special his land is becomes clear when you try what he says should be his worst wine, that 1992. He kept a lot of it, being his first child’s birth year, but he never expected it to age so gracefully. In fact it moved one French expert to lavish it with an outrageous comparison with La Tache, which in turn led to Jean-Marc’s first visit to the Domaine de la Romanee Conti, his purchase of 2006 Romanee St Vivant barrels for ageing his top crus and, well, that’s another story.

Of the 2009 range, Schildknecht says: If there were any doubt that Jean-Marc Burgaud’s talents match his considerable ambitions, his 2009s should put them to rest, as few if any finer collections of Beaujolais are likely to have been rendered in this or any other vintage. “Good balance, fine acidity, perfect maturity, zero grams of unfermented sugar, and alcohol from 13% to 13.5% – excellent but not excessive,” is the way Burgaud laughingly litanises his results, but the wines are far more colourful – indeed, exciting – than that summary suggests. Given their quality and distinctiveness, one has to forgive Burgaud his proliferation of cuvées – indeed, anybody lucky enough to latch onto a share of his limited bottlings from this vintage will want to profusely thank him! Burgaud elected to give his early bottlings a light filtration – and was contemplating the same approach for his (“regular”) Cote de Py – because he said he wanted to preserve their vivid fruit, whereas they would have had to stay in barrel through summer to clarify sufficiently on their own. Except for his three rarest cuvées – aged entirely in demi-muids or barriques – elevage of each Burgaud wine is spread between tank and demi-muids.

Deep bright cherry crimson. Fragrant and sweet-fruited on the nose but delicate, too. Refined and inviting with an underlying depth and tension. Utterly satisfying – already smooth and elegant but full of energy and depth. Complete and harmonious and still has length and potential to develop greater complexity. 17.5 points, drink N-2015. Julia Harding MW (Jancisrobinson.com)

Jean Marc Burgaud is one of only eight winemakers in Beaujolais rated five stars by Robert Parker Jnr’s Wine Buyer’s Guide. Wine Advocate expert David Schildknecht says: “Burgaud is ensconced in an impressive new facility and as usual brimming with ideas about how he is going to make what are among his region’s handful of most exciting wines even better.” Serena Sutcliffe MW adds her endorsement to Burgaud’s work: “This young grower makes old-vine Beaujolais as if it were Burgundy, oak-aged and built for the long haul.”

One of the measures of Jean-Marc’s ability is that the wine from his first vintage, 1992 – marred by torrential rain that led to split berries – is still drinking beautifully. When people marvel at his 09s, 08s, 07s, 05s, 02s, 00s, 98s, etc, he reminds them that the true measure of great terroir is what it can produce in a difficult vintage. Just how special his land is becomes clear when you try what he says should be his worst wine, that 1992. He kept a lot of it, being his first child’s birth year, but he never expected it to age so gracefully. In fact it moved one French expert to lavish it with an outrageous comparison with La Tache, which in turn led to Jean-Marc’s first visit to the Domaine de la Romanee Conti, his purchase of 2006 Romanee St Vivant barrels for ageing his top crus and, well, that’s another story.

Of the 2009 range, Schildknecht says: If there were any doubt that Jean-Marc Burgaud’s talents match his considerable ambitions, his 2009s should put them to rest, as few if any finer collections of Beaujolais are likely to have been rendered in this or any other vintage. “Good balance, fine acidity, perfect maturity, zero grams of unfermented sugar, and alcohol from 13% to 13.5% – excellent but not excessive,” is the way Burgaud laughingly litanises his results, but the wines are far more colourful – indeed, exciting – than that summary suggests. Given their quality and distinctiveness, one has to forgive Burgaud his proliferation of cuvées – indeed, anybody lucky enough to latch onto a share of his limited bottlings from this vintage will want to profusely thank him! Burgaud elected to give his early bottlings a light filtration – and was contemplating the same approach for his (“regular”) Cote de Py – because he said he wanted to preserve their vivid fruit, whereas they would have had to stay in barrel through summer to clarify sufficiently on their own. Except for his three rarest cuvées – aged entirely in demi-muids or barriques – elevage of each Burgaud wine is spread between tank and demi-muids.

Resulting from five different pickings; treated to two weeks of fermentation with sporadic pump-overs; and tasted from tank just before bottling, Burgaud’s 2009 Morgon Cote de Py displays a striking intensity of fresh red and black raspberries alluringly inflected by vanilla, mint, toasted hickory, pencil lead, and smoked meat; an amazing alliance of density and silken texture with high-spirited brightness and vivacity; and a vibrant, gripping, saliva-inducing, lip-smackingly saline finish. This phenomenal value should provide an extraordinary drinking experience over at least a half dozen years. The 2005 incidentally – which was raised entirely in tank – is lovely and still sweetly-fruited if au point today. Aug 2010 David Schildknecht (92-93 Points) Drink: 2010 - 2016 Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate # 190

A cuvée from fruit in the eponymous western sector of its appellation that Burgaud partly destemmed and macerated for a day or two less than usual this vintage in order to compensate for high skin-to-juice ratio. Features ripe dark cherry and blackberry, smoked meat, walnut oil and undertones of clean meatiness. Less soothingly rich but brighter and more penetrating than the corresponding Regnie (unavailable), it finishes with long, lip-smacking intensity of fresh berry skin and mineral salts. This elegant beauty and terrific value should be followed for three to five years. 91 points. David Schildknecht; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Jean Marc Burgaud is one of only eight winemakers in Beaujolais rated five stars by Robert Parker Jnr’s Wine Buyer’s Guide. Wine Advocate expert David Schildknecht says: “Burgaud is ensconced in an impressive new facility and as usual brimming with ideas about how he is going to make what are among his region’s handful of most exciting wines even better.” Serena Sutcliffe MW adds her endorsement to Burgaud’s work: “This young grower makes old-vine Beaujolais as if it were Burgundy, oak-aged and built for the long haul.”

One of the measures of Jean-Marc’s ability is that the wine from his first vintage, 1992 – marred by torrential rain that led to split berries – is still drinking beautifully. When people marvel at his 09s, 08s, 07s, 05s, 02s, 00s, 98s, etc, he reminds them that the true measure of great terroir is what it can produce in a difficult vintage. Just how special his land is becomes clear when you try what he says should be his worst wine, that 1992. He kept a lot of it, being his first child’s birth year, but he never expected it to age so gracefully. In fact it moved one French expert to lavish it with an outrageous comparison with La Tache, which in turn led to Jean-Marc’s first visit to the Domaine de la Romanee Conti, his purchase of 2006 Romanee St Vivant barrels for ageing his top crus and, well, that’s another story.

Of the 2009 range, Schildknecht says: If there were any doubt that Jean-Marc Burgaud’s talents match his considerable ambitions, his 2009s should put them to rest, as few if any finer collections of Beaujolais are likely to have been rendered in this or any other vintage. “Good balance, fine acidity, perfect maturity, zero grams of unfermented sugar, and alcohol from 13% to 13.5% – excellent but not excessive,” is the way Burgaud laughingly litanises his results, but the wines are far more colourful – indeed, exciting – than that summary suggests. Given their quality and distinctiveness, one has to forgive Burgaud his proliferation of cuvées – indeed, anybody lucky enough to latch onto a share of his limited bottlings from this vintage will want to profusely thank him! Burgaud elected to give his early bottlings a light filtration – and was contemplating the same approach for his (“regular”) Cote de Py – because he said he wanted to preserve their vivid fruit, whereas they would have had to stay in barrel through summer to clarify sufficiently on their own. Except for his three rarest cuvées – aged entirely in demi-muids or barriques – elevage of each Burgaud wine is spread between tank and demi-muids.

Subtle wood spice frames elegant and very pretty aromas of red, black and violet notes nuanced by hints of earth and underbrush that dissolve into surprisingly forward middle weight flavors underpinned by firm yet very fine tannins and terrific length. While this does not lack for power, it’s a relatively elegant and refined effort for this appellation. (90-93)/2014+.” Burghound (Apr 2006).

Good dark red. Reticent but pure aromas of dark fruits, mocha and brown spices. Distinctly muscular and backward, with a flavor of dark chocolate. A sample from a second barrel was more minerally on the nose, and suaver and more pliant in the mid-palate, finishing sweet and impressively long. Both this and the Echezeaux parcel were harvested late in 2004, at the beginning of October, according to Lardiere. 90-93 Points Steve Tanzer:  International Wine Cellar, 03/06

This dense, extracted wine of powerful tannic structure, is marked by jammy, ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors with pronounced notes of minerals, spice and sweet oak set in a velvety yet penetrating texture

For viticultural purposes, the adjacent communes of Vosne-Romanée and Flagey-Echézeaux are considered to be one. At the very center of the Côte de Nuits, Flagey-Echézeaux is bordered by Chambolle-Musigny on the north and Clos-Vougeot on the north and east; adjoining Flagey to the south, Vosne-Romanée is bordered on its own southern edge by Nuits-Saint-Georges. The two communes wrap around a contiguous slope of southeast and east exposure, in Vosne, to an east and northeast exposure in Flagey. Taken separately, Vosne- Romanée covers 388 acres and Flagey-Echézeaux 177 acres, but all the village level and premier cru vineyards of the latter fall under the Vosne-Romanée and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru appellations; only the grands crus of Flagey-Echézeaux bear the commune name. Thus, of the 243 acres of Vosne-Romanée village vineyards, 210 lie in Vosne and 33 lie in Flagey. The fourteen premier cru vineyards cover just over 141 acres: eleven of these are in Vosne, two are in Flagey, and one is split between the two, with total acreage of 113 and 28 acres, respectively, in each commune. Annual production, which is exclusively in red wines, averages 5,386 hectolitres (64,950 cases) in the village and premier cru vineyards, with the grands crus contributing another 1,910 hectolitres (21,200 cases).

This is also unusually exotic but retains plenty of the naturally seductive spice character of the vineyard that marries into rich, full and focused flavors brimming with dry extract that is, at least for now, less elegant than normal though the finish is dry and racy. This is presently on the woody side but as noted in the introduction, my comments and score assign the benefit of the doubt specifically because there is so much mid-palate concentration. Tasted: Jul 01, 2007 Score: 90-92 Drink: 2012+. Comments: Outstanding! Burghound

Everything conspired in Burgundy in 2005 to produce a spectacular vintage, ranking with the great vintages of 1990, 1985, 1959,1947… even 1865! There were fears that the summer drought might have left the wines a bit tough, like the 1976s, but not in the least: showers in early September enabled the grapes to fatten into juicy, crunchy berries of full physiological ripeness. Throughout the vintage, the weather remained exceptionally fine. The reds are concentrated, dense and very pure. The tannins are ripe and most elegant. 2005 is undeniably a vintage to keep. Winery Notes

Mildly toasty and spicy earth black fruits continue onto the palate with rich and relatively dense flavors that are round if not particularly complex but the underlying material is impressive. There is good power here and if this can add depth, it should merit the top of the predicted range.  88-91 Points; Allen Meadows; (Burghound, 04/06)

Medium red. Dark fruits, minerals and leather on the nose. Juicy and youthfully tight; showing less sweetness than the samples from Vosne-Romanee. But sturdy and primary. Finishes with mounting tannins. 88-90 Points Steve Tanzer; International Wine Cellar, 03/06

A revelation and a true wonder! The ruby red colour is magnificent and takes on a deeper hue with age. The aromas are intense and evoke raspberry and wild cherry, becoming more complex with age: undergrowth, truffle, candied fruit. A sublime structure, with refined tannins. It is a perfect example of this ideal of elegance according to Drouhin. A remarkable balance and a lingering persistence of flavors on the palate. It is a wine that always leaves the greatest impression.

This is very ripe, indeed to the point where there are mocha and ripe but not roasted plum notes as well as hints of menthol, warm earth and wood spice with superbly dense, powerful and exceptionally rich flavors underpinned by suave tannins and the classic touch of youthful austerity on the finish which is partially buffered by a hint of sweetness. This is a big, impressive and notably ripe wine yet there is good focus and plenty of muscle without being rustic or foursquare. 2017+. (Apr 2007) 94 points Allen Meadows; Burghound.

Lalou Bize-Leroy took the most extraordinary step of declassifying all of her upper level wines to villages level, creating in the process the most striking examples that I have ever tasted for their respective appellations. Given the incredible range of vineyards that Domaine Leroy possesses, this is not surprising but it does raise the obvious question as to why Mme. Bize elected to do such a thing in the first place. Creating a superlative Vosne by blending in the entirety of the Richebourg and RSV isn't hard to do but why do it at all? She explained that when her late husband Marcel Bize passed away, she became seriously depressed and found it difficult to take her normal interest her wines and even though she has a very capable team in place to look after them, she found the wines lacking in vibrancy and the level of quality with which she believes are what her clients deserve to find in the wines of the domaine. Thus, she elected to declassify all of them, including the wines from Domaine d'Auvenay (see above) which she owned outright with her husband. After tasting through the range, I commented that the wines were astonishing and in response, Mme Bize allowed that perhaps she shouldn't have declassified them after all. But then she brightened and noted, "yes but no one will ever be disappointed with wines such as these and even though it cost me plenty to do it, in the end, it's good for everyone." While it's difficult to argue with that philosophy, when one sees the truly admirable quality achieved, it seems a mild shame that so many potentially wonderful individual wines were blended away. Still, as the scores and notes suggest, this is an incredible group of wines, particularly the Bourgogne and all of them are recommended. Allen Meadows; Burghound

While it’s never the greatest wine in the Leroy range, the Renardes along with the Clos de la Roche is arguably the most distinctive as the intense animale and pungent earth notes mark the wine from stem to stern. The ultra complex and as noted, highly distinctive nose gives way to rich, forward and well muscled flavors bristling with powerful tannins that come across as velvety and suave because of the buckets of mid-palate sap. This won’t win awards for elegance but I quite admire the frank and generous character plus the sheer depth is impressive as hell. (93-95)/2020+

Lalou Bize-Leroy calls 2005 an “excellent millésime in both colors. There is a harmony to this vintage that speaks of la grande classe and you can feel it in the quality of the tannins, which are refined and very ripe. The level of phenolic ripeness in thisvintage is really something yet there is absolutely no sense of surmaturité or heaviness. Overall, including the Bourgogne, we brought in just under 20 hl/ha, which for us is a good yield. Sugars were excellent at between 13 and 13.5% as were the acidities and the post malo pHs were also terrific at around 3.4. Overall, the vintage really has no direct parallel but I suppose it reminds me somewhat of 1996 or perhaps 1999.” In contrast to several recent vintages where the wines were bottled very early, Mme Bize told me that they would begin the bottling for the ‘05s at the end of November so I tasted them just before they were to be racked into 4 barrel groups for the mise. The Leroy ‘05s are exceptional by any measure and several of the 1ers are simply incredible and while it’s hard to call any wines that sell for the prices that these do bargains, if such a term can be applied to them then it applies to the best of these 1ers, in particular the Beaux Monts and Chambolle Charmes, which are quite simply mind bending. – Allen Meadows (Burghound)

The Leroy 2005 Corton Renardes smells of red cherry, charred wood, vanilla, and lily, but comes onto the palate particularly juicy as well as satisfyingly rich and expansive. This is silky in texture but bright and insistent in its sense of primary fresh fruit. A superbly long finish unites cherry liqueur, nutmeg, vanilla, chalk dust, and a savory meatiness, and the empty glass is sweetly perfumed with sensational intensity. I have never tasted a youthful Corton remotely so forward, perfumed, silken, or superficially sweet. Wine Advocate # 171; Jun 2007 David Schildknecht 95

A background note of well toasted oak frames very ripe and almost completely black pinot fruit aromas introduces rich and sweet flavors that are beautifully concentrated and the underlying depth is striking on the suave, mouth coating and powerful finish. There is real verve here and it adds to the wine’s personality. (89-92)/2013+

Lalou Bize-Leroy calls 2005 an “excellent millésime in both colors. There is a harmony to this vintage that speaks of la grande classe and you can feel it in the quality of the tannins, which are refined and very ripe. The level of phenolic ripeness in thisvintage is really something yet there is absolutely no sense of surmaturité or heaviness. Overall, including the Bourgogne, we brought in just under 20 hl/ha, which for us is a good yield. Sugars were excellent at between 13 and 13.5% as were the acidities and the post malo pHs were also terrific at around 3.4. Overall, the vintage really has no direct parallel but I suppose it reminds me somewhat of 1996 or perhaps 1999.” In contrast to several recent vintages where the wines were bottled very early, Mme Bize told me that they would begin the bottling for the ‘05s at the end of November so I tasted them just before they were to be racked into 4 barrel groups for the mise. The Leroy ‘05s are exceptional by any measure and several of the 1ers are simply incredible and while it’s hard to call any wines that sell for the prices that these do bargains, if such a term can be applied to them then it applies to the best of these 1ers, in particular the Beaux Monts and Chambolle Charmes, which are quite simply mind bending. – Allen Meadows (Burghound)

A pure and densely fruited mixture of Wood and Vosne-style spice reflects nuances of earth and a distinct animale component that continues onto the admirably concentrated and sleekly muscled medium full flavors that ooze sap and extract yet somehow the finish remains delineated and focused. This is a big and robust wine and more powerful but less fine than the Vignerondes. A choice qualitatively but not stylistically as the intrinsic character of the two wines is very different. (92-95)/2017+

Lalou Bize-Leroy calls 2005 an “excellent millésime in both colors. There is a harmony to this vintage that speaks of la grande classe and you can feel it in the quality of the tannins, which are refined and very ripe. The level of phenolic ripeness in thisvintage is really something yet there is absolutely no sense of surmaturité or heaviness. Overall, including the Bourgogne, we brought in just under 20 hl/ha, which for us is a good yield. Sugars were excellent at between 13 and 13.5% as were the acidities and the post malo pHs were also terrific at around 3.4. Overall, the vintage really has no direct parallel but I suppose it reminds me somewhat of 1996 or perhaps 1999.” In contrast to several recent vintages where the wines were bottled very early, Mme Bize told me that they would begin the bottling for the ‘05s at the end of November so I tasted them just before they were to be racked into 4 barrel groups for the mise. The Leroy ‘05s are exceptional by any measure and several of the 1ers are simply incredible and while it’s hard to call any wines that sell for the prices that these do bargains, if such a term can be applied to them then it applies to the best of these 1ers, in particular the Beaux Monts and Chambolle Charmes, which are quite simply mind bending. – Allen Meadows (Burghound)

Leroy’s 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Boudots smells of black cherry, beet root and black chocolate. Polished and suave on the palate, with pure, sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit in both liqueur-like and fresh forms (as with so many of the wines in this collection), it also displays deep meat and mushroom stock and a singed, caramelized edge to the fruit. This epitomizes the concept “layered,” but on the other hand, it leaves no nooks or crannies for warts or quirky complexities to inhabit because it’s seamless. Wine Advocate # 171; Jun 2007 David Schildknecht 94

Lalou Bize-Leroy took the most extraordinary step of declassifying all of her upper level wines to villages level, creating in the process the most striking examples that I have ever tasted for their respective appellations. Given the incredible range of vineyards that Domaine Leroy possesses, this is not surprising but it does raise the obvious question as to why Mme. Bize elected to do such a thing in the first place. Creating a superlative Vosne by blending in the entirety of the Richebourg and RSV isn't hard to do but why do it at all? She explained that when her late husband Marcel Bize passed away, she became seriously depressed and found it difficult to take her normal interest her wines and even though she has a very capable team in place to look after them, she found the wines lacking in vibrancy and the level of quality with which she believes are what her clients deserve to find in the wines of the domaine. Thus, she elected to declassify all of them, including the wines from Domaine d'Auvenay (see above) which she owned outright with her husband. After tasting through the range, I commented that the wines were astonishing and in response, Mme Bize allowed that perhaps she shouldn't have declassified them after all. But then she brightened and noted, "yes but no one will ever be disappointed with wines such as these and even though it cost me plenty to do it, in the end, it's good for everyone." While it's difficult to argue with that philosophy, when one sees the truly admirable quality achieved, it seems a mild shame that so many potentially wonderful individual wines were blended away. Still, as the scores and notes suggest, this is an incredible group of wines, particularly the Bourgogne and all of them are recommended. Allen Meadows; Burghound

A spicy black fruit nose inflected with earth and a subtle animale note that continues onto the sweet, punchy and concentrated flavors that possess ample dry extract on the rich and unusually mineral-infused finish that delivers impressive length at this level. I like the balance and the tannins are relatively refined. (88-91)/2013+

Lalou Bize-Leroy calls 2005 an “excellent millésime in both colors. There is a harmony to this vintage that speaks of la grande classe and you can feel it in the quality of the tannins, which are refined and very ripe. The level of phenolic ripeness in thisvintage is really something yet there is absolutely no sense of surmaturité or heaviness. Overall, including the Bourgogne, we brought in just under 20 hl/ha, which for us is a good yield. Sugars were excellent at between 13 and 13.5% as were the acidities and the post malo pHs were also terrific at around 3.4. Overall, the vintage really has no direct parallel but I suppose it reminds me somewhat of 1996 or perhaps 1999.” In contrast to several recent vintages where the wines were bottled very early, Mme Bize told me that they would begin the bottling for the ‘05s at the end of November so I tasted them just before they were to be racked into 4 barrel groups for the mise. The Leroy ‘05s are exceptional by any measure and several of the 1ers are simply incredible and while it’s hard to call any wines that sell for the prices that these do bargains, if such a term can be applied to them then it applies to the best of these 1ers, in particular the Beaux Monts and Chambolle Charmes, which are quite simply mind bending. Allen Meadows (Burghound).
 
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 David Schildknecht 91 points