Domaine Leroy, Richebourg Grand Cru 2000

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Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani

Cherries, raspberries, and cinnamon explode from the glass of the medium to dark ruby-colored 2000 Richebourg. A dense, bold, medium to full-bodied wine, it slathers the palate with loads of jammy red and black fruits whose flavors linger throughout its exceptionally long finish. This offering’s copious ripe and soft tannins are superb. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2012. Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy liked both the 2000 and 2001 vintages, stating that she was “rather pleased with the 2001s as they will bring lots of joy to those who drink them young” and that the 2000s “are candied fruit, reduction of fruit, the essence of fruit.” Many Burgundians chose to bottle their 2001 early in order to “trap” the fruit in the bottle, but Bize-Leroy beat them all to the punch, having completed the bottling process by early September, 2002. Typically an early bottler, Mme. Bize-Leroy felt that the 2001s would lose their fruit to either oxidation or the required sulfuring if left in the barrel for a longer elevage. Overall, Domaine Leroy’s 2001s are a success, though many were found to reveal stemmy, woody tannin in their finishes. If this characteristic melts away quickly, my scores on those wines will appear overly conservative. Importer: Martine’s Wines, San Raphael, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400