2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres
By Domaine Leroy
2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres from Domaine Leroy, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
The year 2012 in Burgundy was not without its challenges; a testing growing season that tested the resolve and skill of vignerons across the region. Yet, out of these trials emerged the extraordinary, such as 2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres from Domaine Leroy—an impeccable testament to resilience and masterful winemaking in Burgundy's pedigreed soils.
A vintage marked by precision and rarity
Meticulously crafted by the venerable Lalou Bize-Leroy, this vintage speaks volumes about the profound depth that Vosne-Romanée terroir can deliver even under duress. The 2012 growing season saw reduced yields due to climatic adversities, but what lacked in quantity was vehemently countered with quality. The limited production bestows upon 2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres from Domaine Leroy a level of exclusivity that makes it a particularly attractive prospect for fine wine investors.
The wine itself unfurls elegant layers of complexity; intertwined aromas of black cherry, violet, and a whisper of earthiness indicative of its noble lineage—underscored by an excellent balance of tannic structure and a poised acidity. On the palate, one finds a symphony of silky textures and refined flavors that resonate with an impeccable finish.
A Burgundian treasure with investment allure
For seasoned collectors or astute investors, adding the 2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres from Domaine Leroy to one's portfolio could equate to procuring a slice of viticultural nirvana. Its scarcity coupled with Domaine Leroy's esteemed reputation ensures that this vintage not only represents the pinnacle of Burgundian winemaking craft but also brims with potential for appreciating value.
In closing, the 2012 Vosne les Genaivrieres from Domaine Leroy is a remarkable expression capturing a challenging yet successful year in the heartland of Pinot Noir. As time unwinds its tale, collectors will gaze back upon this vintage as one where complexity and rarity intertwine to create not just wine, but art in liquid form.
Market price (HKD)
HK$375,630.00
12x75cl
Highest score
92
POP score
3275
Scores and tasting notes
The 2012 Vosne-Romanee les Genevrieres was again, very reduced on the nose when I tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, leaning here more towards brambly red fruit infused with fine mineralite and poise towards the finish. Very elegant, but it the rigidity of its backbone suggests that it will need a couple of years in bottle. Lalou Bize-Leroy’s domaine wines are not the easiest to procure, but given that in 2012 the average rendement was a paltry 9hl/ha then I am envisaging a few lively “discussions” on the touchy subject of allocations. Lalou, suffering the sniffles when I visited but as energetic as always, was ecstatic about her 2012s, regaling them for their mineralite and terroir expression. She started picking on 17 September, a little earlier than others, and told me that the malo-lactics were a little tardier than usual because of the fresh acidity levels. Certainly some of the samples demonstrated a lot of reduction, more than Lalou was care to admit, but peering through them, there really were some quite astonishing wines in her midst. I speculate that the better Lalou’s wines, the more excited her two dogs behave during the tasting, and our two hour degustation was interspersed by manic tail wagging, the occasion tussle and one growling stand-off at the precise moment I had her magisterial Musigny in my glass. The journey through the grand crus was exhilarating, each suffused with untrammeled energy and tension, more expressive of their terroirs than the 2011s that I tasted back in July. There is a part of me that wants to by cynical given the stratospheric prices demanded, as if to say to Lalou: “Prove it.” And that’s the thing – they go ahead and prove that these are some of the finest Pinot Noirs produced on Earth. Readers should not that Lalou invited me to taste her 2012s either from barrel or later in bottle, whichever I prefer but not both due to miniscule quantities that are often just a single barrel, a position I completely respect and support. I would have chose the latter if I was being selfish, but the former to offer some guidance and some juxtaposition with other vignerons. Also, I did not taste the wines from Domaine d’Auvenay simply because the quantities are so depleted in 2012. Importer: Martine’s Wines. Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-040 and through Justerini & Brooks (UK)
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 29 December 2013