A Burgundian legend in her own right, Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy’s historic family roots in the wine business reach back to 1851. She joined the business in 1955 then took the helm of Maison Leroy in 1971 and, shortly after, became co-manager of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in 1974. After her departure from DRC in 1992, she focused solely on Domaine and Maison Leroy. Since that time she has catapulted her Domaine and Maison Leroy into even greater worldwide fame and has set the bar for quality as high as anyone in Burgundy. Firmly situated in the brass ring of Burgundian producers, prices for Leroy’s wines are amongst the highest on the market. If you see the Leroy name on a bottle of wine, it is either a bottle from “Domaine Leroy” or “Maison Leroy”. The Domaine contains wine sourced from estate fruit and will have a wax capsule. Maison Leroy will have a foil capsule and has been sourced from carefully selected parcels that the Domaine does not own.

The stunning 2012 Bourgogne Blanc we are offering today is bottled as Maison Leroy and is comprised of declassified parcels from Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Savigny les Beaune. Particularly reminiscent of Meursault, this wine delivers a rich mouthfeel as well as a slight buttery note that is rarely seen off warm sites on the coveted mid-slope. Due to the generosity of the 2012 vintage and Leroy’s astute winemaking, this wine reveals incredible depth, sense of place and richness combined with the elegant poise and balance we always expect from the noble Leroy name. This example, at the very pinnacle of what bourgogne blanc is capable of, is an opportunity you do not want to pass up.  

The wine displays a concentrated straw yellow core with a hint of green and gold on the rim. The perfumed aromatics are gorgeous and everything we hope to find in a near perfect example of young Burgundy. The nuanced nose offers a touch of development with complex aromas of slightly dried acacia and hawthorn flowers, slightly dried yellow apple, lime blossom, hazelnut, lees, faint white truffle and chalk. The palate is medium-plus in body with a slight oily texture, bright acidity and an intense expression of minerality. Flavors of ripe yellow apple, dried pear, lemon zest, crushed white stones and touch of high quality butter round out the palate for a persistent finish. This wine needs a lot of air and usually performs at its best after many hours open. So, take your time—it will pay off. Either open this wine in the morning and leave it uncorked for 8-10 hours in a cool spot outside of the refrigerator. Or, decant for an hour or two then enjoy at cellar temperature or a bit above in Burgundy stems for optimal results. This extraordinarily delicious wine can be consumed without guilt right now. However, its future is bright and will most likely peak 5-7 years from now if kept well. Drink a few and try to save the rest to experience this beauty in all her glorious complexity.