How does Leroy do it?

WINE TALK
1

Last week some buddies and I opened a '93 Leroy NSG. Not a lieu dit, just the regular village. I have to mention that my experience with Leroy is somewhat limited. What came out of the bottle was aromatically nothing short of spectacular. The nose soared from the glass with spice, dark fruits, and just a hint of cherry and blood. Even though the finish was somewhat clipped and the mid-palate flavor was hard to find, every bottle of Leroy I open seems to have the most opulent aromatics when compared to any other wine of the same village/vineyard/producer/vintage. Even the 2004s. What is it that they do different? How do they achieve these characteristics so consistently as compared to a different producer?

2

There is a lot to Leroy’s winemaking, starting with harvesting at low yields, and then hand sort like crazy after that, creating an even lower net yield. I’m not sure if any one else has more insider info, but I know that the Domaine makes sacrifices most are unwilling to make. I’m sure it’s something in the winemaking process like a very gentle pressing that creates the aromatics. If that’s the case, then the key is how they get the concentration and extraction to come along with it.

Glad you loved it. Count me in as a huge fan. Her 93s have been stunning lately.

3

I agree with everything Ian said (and with J’s assessment of the wines). I would add that Leroy is 100% biodynamic. I can’t comment on whether that actually affects the results although I think Lalou would say that it does (and I note that Anne Claude Leflaive raves about the results of switching to biodynamic farming).
A

4

I asked the same question after a '99 Bourgogne Blanc last year that was spectacular.

5

I’m certainly no expert on Leroy, but I do know this >

Extremely low yields + great terroir + immaculate attention to detail in the vineyard & winery, usually = spectacular results in bottle, given a decent vintage.

Cheers to those willing, & knowledgeable enough to give us the great bottles. It sure the F*ck don’t happen by accident.

[cheers.gif]

6

+1, Agreed that the biodynamics will add to it. Call it “voodoo” if you want to, but that’s some good witches brew to me!!!

Cheers to that for sure.

7

Not a knock on Leroy - far from it - but I find the Dujac portfolio to be more aromatically thriiling across the board.

So I would be interested in thoughts on the more general question: How do some producers consistently make wines that are more aromatically compelling than their peers?

8

I’m with you on the aromatics. I drink with a guy that almost exclusively cellars leroy. They are always super expressive and generous aromatically. My only knock on them is that a lot of the wines smell the same to me. Drinking them side by side, sometime the terroir is apparent, and sometimes they smell so so similar. That said, they are delicious wines!

9

Sounds as though this was a Maison Leroy bottle. In that case, you should be asking how someone else did it, because Maison Leroy bottles are from wine that are purchased in cask from other cellars.

10

Still waiting to have my first Leroy…my friends suck! [snort.gif]

Can’t the same be said for DRC? I find their aromatics exotically intoxicating.

11

I find DRC’s aromatics far deeper and rich, while Leroy’s are a bit more feminine and complex. Lots of incense and floral tones to Leroy.

12

There is a Domaine Leroy '93 NSG. See link.


https://winegavel.auctionserver.net/view-auctions/catalog/id/89/lot/23778/

13

Curious. Usually Leroy bottles the three lieux-dits separately – Allots, Lavières, and Bas de Combe. Perhaps production was so small in 1993 that they were combined.

14

A lot has to do with the Maceration and Fermentation techniques. If you do pre-fermentation cold soak and ferment your wine at the lower/colder temperatures your wine will show more aromatics and that “feminent” Pinot character. Higher fermentation temperatures will extract more from the grapes thus aromatics might be “hiden”

1 Like
15

Next time I open for u!

16

99% sure from my memory this was a domaine, not maison. total production was on the back label.

17

Agreed. They smell similar but similarly fantastic! Although I wish I drank a lot with a guy with a deep Leroy cellar :wink:

18

flirtysmile

19

Hey Buzz, Jon will help you out on that [cheers.gif]

20

work and work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkWuuAJZ80Y(french)