2008 Gevrey les Combottes
By Domaine Leroy
2008 Gevrey les Combottes from Domaine Leroy, Burgundy, France
In the world of connoisseurs and collectors alike, the singular expression of terroir found in Burgundian pinots is watched with an anticipatory eye each season. The 2008 Gevrey les Combottes from Domaine Leroy beckons the discerning palate with an orchestrated symphony of balance and precision, a true testament to the storied lineage of its maker.
A Vintage Revealed Through the Elements
The year of 2008 challenged Burgundy vintners with initial inclement conditions that unexpectedly gave way to a fortuitous, if brisk, September. The resultant harvest, under the stewardship of Domaine Leroy, has crafted a vintage resonating with vibrancy and depth. True to the climatic narrative of that year, this vintage demonstrates the artistry of winemaking when nature imposes a stern hand—yielding treasures that reflect both resilience and adaptability.
The 2008 Gevrey les Combottes carries within it the brightness of red cherries and a whisper of spice—a flavour profile that distinguishes itself remarkably within the canonical works of Domaine Leroy. There's an ethereal quality to the tannins; they lace through the wine's structure with competent ease, never dominating, always elevating.
An Investment in Liquid History
Wine investment wisdom often holds that vintages borne out of struggle offer unique opportunities for those who can discern their latent potential. The 2008 Gevrey les Combottes embodies this notion, presenting investors with a canvas upon which time will likely cast an ever more flattering light. Its current drinking window suggests availability for enjoyment now, while its cellar-worthy craftsmanship ensures potential value appreciation.
For enthusiasts aiming to enrich their portfolios or cellars with a compelling Burgundian story from the late 2000s era, securing allocations of this Domaine Leroy offering is a prudent avenue for diversification and pleasure alike.
In summation, this vintage encapsulates an exceptional triumph over climatic adversity, rendering the 2008 Gevrey les Combottes from Domaine Leroy a notable beacon among its peers—a vibrant chapter in Burgundy's enduring legacy of fine wine production.
Market price (GBP)
£35,700.00
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
2550
Scores and tasting notes
Tiny, ripe, fresh red currant and cherry; smoked meat; and marine breeze in the nose of Bize-Leroy’s 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes lead into an energetic palate performance, its vibrant, bright red fruits suffused with saliva-inducing salinity; invigorating fruit pit and rose hip piquancy. This manages to be palpably extract-rich yet buoyant, tannic yet polished and inextinguishably juicy. The long, lip-licking finish here seems entirely open and brightly illuminated, in contrast with the darkness, mystery, or seduction of this collection’s Vosne Brulees or Chambolle Charmes. But its effect is nonetheless exhilarating. Look for at least two decades of excitement. Lalou Bize-Leroy reports average 2008 Pinot Noir yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare, almost absurdly tiny even by her singular standards. Malos were a bit later than usual but were finished by summer, and the wines bottled – as usual – in December. Yet – also as usual – if their development was thereby in any way stunted, you certainly won’t detect it in the bottle today! The best of these display a sense of transparency; levity; and – even when rich and head-spinningly complex – a sheer sense of refreshment and invigoration that I have seldom encountered in other great wines from these sister estates. (Please note that my account of the complete 2007 red collection at Leroy was published in issue #189.) Importer: Martine’s Wines. Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-040
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2010