Domaine Leroy   Musigny Grand Cru

2011 Musigny Grand Cru

By Domaine Leroy

2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy, Burgundy, France

The 2011 vintage in Burgundy was one that defied general expectations, emerging triumphantly from a challenging growing season with a grace that bears the hallmark of the region's resilience. It is within this context that the 2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy commands attention, as it encapsulates the finesse achievable by master vintners in less-than-ideal conditions.

 

A Vintage Shaped by Contrast

While reviewing Burgundy vintages, it is crucial to acknowledge how climatic fluctuations can sculpt a vintage's profile. The spring of 2011 was unusually warm, leading to an early bud break, yet this was followed by a cooler than average summer which slowed the ripening process. This oscillation between extremes yielded grapes with a balance of ripeness and acidity, providing the essential components for wines of great longevity and complexity—a pertinent factor for discerning wine investors.

 

The Quintessence of Musigny Terroir

This particular Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy reveals layers of dark cherry and ripe strawberry, emboldened by a gentle undercurrent of earthy minerality typical of its esteemed terroir. However, what sets this vintage apart is a compelling freshness that underlines its red fruit core—the lifeblood of its aging capacity and investment potential. Soft tannins, woven expertly through the wine's structure, suggest a meticulousness in harvesting choices made by Domaine Leroy.

As one sips the 2011 Musigny Grand Cru, the wine unfolds leisurely, entrancing with its evolving dimensions on the palate—a chorus of spice and forest floor notes pirouette alongside hints of violet and a supple touch of oak. Each sip offers an unabridged narrative of a challenging yet rewarding year.

 

Investment Worthy Elegance

The investment virtues of the 2011 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy lie not just in its poise today but in its promise for tomorrow. One cannot ignore its proficiency for maturation, unfurling new stories with each passing year—akin to an expanding asset portfolio that continues to diversify and intensify in value. As this exquisite wine continues to navigate through time, it fortifies its position as one of Burgundy's most nuanced investments. In essence, the 2011 vintage presents a compelling proposition for enthusiasts looking to broaden their collections with wines that punctuate their holdings with both character and credibility.

Market price (GBP)

£415,800.00

12x75cl

Highest score

95

POP score

27720

Scores and tasting notes

95

The rara avis that is the 2011 Musigny Grand Cru has a haunting bouquet that, once again, deserves time to unfurl with blackberry, pomegranate, mineral, cedar and oyster shell notes that are exquisitely defined. The palate is underpinned by filigree tannins. It feels so lithe in the mouth, spicy right from the start that sets the mouth tingling and then a crescendo toward the dark plum and bergamot-tinged finish. This is very complex and simply seamless in the mouth. Since I started visiting chateaux and growers in 1997, I have been fortunate to have ticked off most of my personal Holy Grails, yet a handful remain. One was to visit Domaine Leroy and taste with Lalou Bize-Leroy, who I have only met briefly on two occasions in London. Given the responsibility of covering Burgundy, I avowed to tick that one off as soon as possible. So, on a sultry Thursday morning, I finally pulled into the pebbled courtyard of her winery in the village of Vosne with maybe just a single butterfly fluttering around inside. Lalou was stepping out of her 4x4, beloved dogs yapping around their mother and perhaps warning her of an intruder in their midst. They are not exactly cut out to be guard dogs – no offence intended. Lalou was exactly how I remembered – with her wiry frame, like a titanium alloyed twig. Her piercing hawk-like blue eyes and angular cheekbones would give Kate Moss a run for her money. She was attired like a fashionable thirty-something and exuded the vivacity of a twenty-something with a penchant for the occasional rock climb. After pleasantries we discussed her belief in biodynamism and the ways in which the cosmos affects Mother Nature down to the Earth’s core. We toured the rudimentary winery occupied by the black-painted wooden vats and then down below to a vaulted tasting room, bottles lying hither and thither of what must constitute every wine she has made since acquiring Charles Noellat’s holdings in 1988 to establish Domaine Leroy. She was courteous to the point of occasionally scolding herself for vocally enthusing about the wines, mindful of not disturbing my perspicuity. Did the wines stand up to their reputations and let us face it, stratospheric price? The answer is “Yes.” Here was a master-class in terroir: the wines made in almost identical fashion in the winery, so that what is perceived in bottle is the interplay between Mother Nature and vine (under the guiding hand of Rudolph Steiner philosophy). Of course, one must always remain objective, and I have been around the block enough times to simply relate precisely what I find within the radius of a wineglass. And in 2011, it was clear that the wines of Lalou Bize-Leroy seemed to deliver a sensational level of quality that would make most winemakers curl up and weep, asking: “How does she do it?” I had to inquire at the end of the tasting whether they were all matured entirely in new oak, so seamlessly was the wood embroidered into each cuvee. Tasting through the entire range of 23 wines, before zooming down to Domaine d’Auvenay, the high points were scintillating Nuits-St-Georges Village Crus that transcended all my expectations and the sheer consistency of the Grand Crus, perhaps with the exception of the 2011 Latricieres-Chambertin, which I have always found wanting in the past. The Romanee-St-Vivant could be the apotheosis of the vintage, certainly one of the finest that I have tasted from the domaine and even dared “out-finesse” the Richebourg. What amazed me was the otherworldly precision, as if you could pick out each aroma or flavor from the air. Only the Chambolle-Musigny Charmes appeared unruly when compared to its peers, a little too feisty on the nose for my liking. Otherwise, this is just magic in a glass. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400

Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 28 August 2013

Vintage performance