Now as ever, a strange wine. None of the offputting chemical aromas that had me pouring those out several years after release, but more like a poulsard from the Jura than a burgundy from premier and grand cru vineyards. Dark orange to the eye, and notes of cinnamon, orange peel and rose on the nose. Getting more youthful as the night goes on. More powerful in the mouth than one would expect from everything else about the wine. It’s interesting enough, but doesn’t scream Leroy.
I polished off the last of my Bourgogne last year but still have a bottle each of all the declassified village wines. I found the Bourgogne wine not too dissimilar to your tasting note. I had the NSG recently too and it was a bigger, more earthier wine but made in a similar mould.
I drank one a while back. It was interesting and enjoyable, but nothing close to be worth what it’s selling for at auction. ($400+)
Agreed, I don’t get why the wine is in demand. I just sold my last 5 bottles during the HDH April auction for $560 per bottle. For my palate it was not worth the $69 that I paid for it, much less the auction price.
I own a few 500 dollars is nuts
Yeah - there’s no value at anything near those prices. It’s funny. Based on many other 04s, I think Lalou probably made the right choice by declassifying the various vineyards and selling bottles for a fraction of what the various constituent wines would have cost if bottled separately. But now 14 years later they are the ‘04 that command the most significant premium in a poor vintage. These bottles seem like more of a curiosity to me at this point, but I will hold what I have left to see what they become.
I bought four cases of the Bourgogne when it came out, as the lure of premier cru Leroy at village prices ($70/btl) was too much to resist. I liked the wine then, and we have enjoyed virtually every bottle consumed. Had one case of OWC left in storage, and put it up for auction this past week. Hammer was $6,500. I’m still wondering who was smarter - the seller or the buyer. At any rate, it’s been great juice that we really liked.
PS…virtually the same story can be written on the 2004 Leroy Vosne-Romanee, only at a price point of $185-$220 instead of $70. Grand cru wine at premier cru prices. Also great juice. Also one of four cases left, which means we’ve liked it.
I’m with you. We drank a bunch of the Bourgogne and village stuff in the first few years of release. Never thought they were worth over $100 let alone what they are commanding now.
But I know the demand, it’s the possibility of drinking “grand cru” leroy for “cheap”. I just had a friend last week tell me how excited she was to drink all the 04 Leroy village wines in the coming month off a restaurant list for a “cheap” $600 a btl. Cause Grand cru!!