Domaine Leroy   Richebourg Grand Cru

2006 Richebourg Grand Cru

By Domaine Leroy

2006 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy, Burgundy, France

The stoic 2006 vintage in Burgundy stands as a testament to the adept hand of Lalou Bize-Leroy at Domaine Leroy. A growing season that presented more challenges than most, 2006 was a year that separated the remarkable producers from the rest, with Domaine Leroy's offerings being unequivocally in the former category. The 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru is one such exceptional offering.

 

Unique Vintage, Singular Expression

Contrary to its neighbouring vintages – the robust 2005 and the surprisingly approachable 2007 – the 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru navigates a complex journey between structure and finesse. Alerting the palate with a fanfare of ripe cherries and subtle hints of earth, its sophisticated dance of tannins and acidity showcases Burgundian craftsmanship.

A cool, wet spring followed by an unpredictable summer led to meticulous sorting before harvest. Such exacting standards of viticulture and vinification are hallmarks of Domaine Leroy. Here, in this constrained gathering of berries lies the underpinning of a vintage replete with depth yet retaining Domaine Leroy’s signature elegance.

 

An Illustrious Entry into Wine Investment Portfolios

For connoisseurs considering adding to their collections or diversifying their investment portfolios, this 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru must be contemplated. Whilst it's a contemplative wine for ageing further, it already reveals layers of complexity, offering a tantalising glimpse into its potential over time.

Domaine Leroy's reputation for scarce production coupled with Lalou's exacting quality control positions the 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru as a noteworthy wine within fine wine investment circles. It not only graces one’s cellar but stands as a wise addition to any discerning investor’s portfolio.

In summation, as we acquaint ourselves with the storied tapestry of Burgundy's illustrious vineyards, let us raise our glass to the remarkable nature of the 2006 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy. It is an embodiment of climatic defiance and vinicultural artistry—a seasoned companion for both the epicurean palate and astute investor.

Market price (USD)

$148,070.00

12x75cl

Highest score

93

POP score

9330

Scores and tasting notes

93

Smoky pungency mingles with dark berry concentrates and bitter-sweet floral essences on the nose of the Leroy 2006 Richebourg. This Pinot strides magisterially onto the palate, with obvious firmness and depth of tannic tread, but at the same time a plush wealth of sweet black fruits that overrides the tannins and makes for a surprisingly soothing impression. Crushed stone and roasted meats add authority to a long finish in which rather obvious tannins returned. Somehow, the character of the vintage seems to suit the Romanee-St.-Vivant better than it does this Richebourg. But it's early days, especially for a wine of such sweetness of fruit, muscularity, and sheer extract as this. Furthermore, it's hard for me to discount the possibility that the unexpected and slightly awkward reappearance of tannins in the finish here might be a function of temporary perturbation or Burgundian Pinot moodiness. The results achieved by Lalou Bize-Leroy in 2006 are all the more notable in view of the misgivings she expressed early on about this vintage. (And, as her reaction to 2004 demonstrates, she will not shy away from declassifying even her entire production if she feels that the wines are not up to their terroir pedigrees.) As voluptuously rich as are Bize-Leroy's 2006 reds, they preserve the sense of buoyancy and elegance common to so many of the standouts of this vintage, and one's gums will not come away fatigued by the strength of underlying tannin or the near-hyper-concentration displayed by her – to be sure awesome – 2005s. As every year, these wines represent meticulous vine manicure; miniscule yields ("above all regulated by severe pruning, not triage," Bize-Leroy emphasizes); and fidelity to biodynamic methods and metaphysics; and were bottled in the second December following the harvest. Despite their winsomeness, they have long life expectancies. Since, however, I have very little experience of their predecessors as they have matured, I have confined my prognostication to a few isolated and very general comments in the tasting notes that follow. Note that I have included as well under the heading "Leroy" the wines of Madame Bize-Leroy's Domaine d'Auvenay – its cellars located outside Saint-Romain – which now encompass two appellations in red, since inevitably when information is being sought about these wines, and even often when they are described, it is under the name "Leroy." Importer: Martine’s Wines. Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-040

David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 21 December 2009

Vintage performance