2001 Richebourg Grand Cru
By Domaine Leroy
2001 Richebourg Grand Cru by Domaine Leroy, Burgundy, France
Embarking upon a sensory odyssey with the 2001 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy encapsulates an exploration into the sublime and meticulously crafted expressions of Burgundy's venerated terroirs. The 2001 vintage, a result of tranquil harmonic confluence between nature and vinicultural mastery, heralds from the exalted Richebourg vineyard - a plot synonymous with wines of profound complexity and longevity.
Precision and Elegance: A Vintage Conveying Timelessness
In the 2001 Richebourg Grand Cru, one uncovers an intricately woven tapestry of concentrated pleasures. This embodiment captures the quintessence of its illustrious appellation with deft precision. The season's climatic generosity ensured optimal phenolic maturity while maintaining bespoke freshness. There's a beguiling tension present in this vintage, an amalgamation of opulent dark fruit layered with enigmatic spices that unravels ethereally across the palate. With age, the wine divulges secondary and tertiary nuance; hints of sous bois, truffle, and a whispering wisp of cocoa interlacing with velvety tannins.
An Investment in Liquid Nobility
The reputation of Domaine Leroy holds steadfast in the echelons of viticultural royalty. Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy’s fastidious devotion to biodynamic farming yields wines that are not only deeply expressive of their origins but also distinguished candidates for long-term investment.
The 2001 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy is such a wine - encapsulating the hallmarks of a remarkable Burgundian year. Its layered density and nuanced finesse speak to connoisseurs seeking investments that entwine pedigree with profound aging potential.
In closing, Lionel of Domaine Leroy crafts a 2001 Richebourg Grand Cru that stands majestically among peers as an exemplar of sophistication. Esteemed collectors would do well to consider this intricate potion crafted from the heart of Burgundy’s noble lands - a vintage that is now coming into its most captivating stage where each sip reverberates with history and artistry.
Market price (HKD)
HK$1,166,000.00
12x75cl
Highest score
92
POP score
10165
Scores and tasting notes
A magnificent burst of regal red fruits explodes from the glass of the medium to dark ruby-colored 2001 Richebourg. Big, plush, expansive, and noble, this impressively endowed wine is medium to full-bodied, deep, and concentrated. Its opulent personality reveals loads of spice-laden, gorgeously sweet blackberries and dark cherries. While its finish is somewhat rustic, this is an outstanding, powerful, complex offering in a vintage where those attributes are rare. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. 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. Importer: Martine’s Wines, San Raphael, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Pierre Rovani - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2003