Domaine Leroy   Musigny Grand Cru

2007 Musigny Grand Cru

By Domaine Leroy

2007 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy, Burgundy, France

The illustrious 2007 vintage of Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy stands as a testament to the harmonious interplay of an esteemed terroir under the deft artistry of its winemaker. The year 2007 painted Burgundy with a pallet of climatic idiosyncrasies; a cool winter gave way to a spring frosted with challenges, followed by an unexpectedly warm April resulting in early budbreak. However, it was the mid-summer's patient warmth and September's diurnal shifts that finessed the phenolic maturity of these esteemed Pinot Noir grapes.

 

A Study in Elegance and Complexity

In this particular vintage, the 2007 Musigny Grand Cru reveals itself with a poise and subtlety that is characteristic of Domaine Leroy's winegrowing philosophy. There is a vibrant tapestry of red fruits unfurling amidst whispers of earthiness and an ethereal floral bouquet, culminating in a complexity that investors and connoisseurs alike may find utterly captivating. The tannins are supple, woven seamlessly into the structure, suggesting an ageing potential that is both promising and exciting to anticipate.

 

Investment Potential Matured to Perfection

For the astute investor seeking to diversify their portfolio with a crowning jewel, the 2007 Musigny Grand Cru offers ample allure. Its narrative is one of exceptional viticultural conditions, coupled with the hallmark finesse of Domaine Leroy's winemaking pedigree. As this vintage continues to evolve gracefully in the bottle, it increasingly becomes a beacon for collectors who venerate rarity fused with distinction.

An awareness of this extraordinary vintage's singular characteristics—its poised expression amid climatic capriciousness—bears out its position as a compelling investment. Cognisant of the nuance carried from vine to bottle, enthusiasts will discern that this Musigny Grand Cru harmoniously encapsulates an aromatic intensity with textural sophistication—a reminder of the triumph and terroir-driven dynamism from this fabled Burgundian plot.

In summary, the 2007 Musigny Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy emerges as an impeccable expression of its vintage. An eloquent witness to the majesty of Burgundy’s cooler years, this wine elegantly asserts why both collectors and investors cast their gaze persistently towards such prized bottles.

Market price (USD)

$461,460.00

12x75cl

Highest score

96

POP score

23625

Scores and tasting notes

96

Bize-Leroy’s 2007 Musigny presents in many respects a more profound and concentrated variation on her superb Chambolle Charmes of the vintage. Its tear-jerking brightness of cherry and raspberry fruit and their distilled essences, decadent florality, and saliva-inducing maritime depth are extraordinary. The carnality here is akin to foie gras and the umami-rich crustacean aspect akin to sea urchin roe and lobster shell reduction. Hints of blond tobacco, peat, iris, fruit pit, and a hit of caramel add further, bittersweet nuance to an already multidimensional experience. Richly and tenderly-fruited and –textured, yet vivacious and penetrating, this should continue to perform astonishingly over the next two decades if not beyond. The results Lalou Bize-Leroy achieved in 2006 – as I wrote in my previous red Burgundy report – were especially notable considering the misgivings she expressed early on about that vintage. She appeared more enthusiastic early on about 2007, but in this instance it’s far from merely notable – frankly, it’s utterly improbable – the richness and complexity that the Leroy team has achieved, especially considering that harvesting began here already on August 27! This collection is quite distinctive even from the very few others of its vintage that come even remotely close in quality. These 2007s display a sense of effortless effusiveness, primary juiciness, and – I don’t know how to put this less nebulously – elegance and in the best instances transparency, contrasting with the impressions of tumescent ripeness, coagulation, and new wood veneer that in some vintages accompany the profound richness of Leroy reds. As usual, the wines were all bottled in December, which at least in this vintage seems less difficult to reconcile with their exceptional quality than it does in vintages like 2005 or 2008, when so many of the other top practitioners of red Burgundy emphasize the need for longer elevage. Extremely low yields are of course also a common denominator among Bize-Leroy’s collections, although in the challenging 2007 vintage, she had somewhat more company than usual among fellow-vignerons in the roughly 20 hectoliter-per-hectare range. (And that was bounteous compared with the 13 hectoliters per hectare Bize-Leroy reports having managed in 2008, a vintage from which she did not want to show her bottled wines until June of this year, so that I shall publish notes on them in my follow-up to the present report.) Importer: Martine’s Wines. Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400

David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2010

Vintage performance