The 2014 Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru has a pure bouquet as you would expect, an equal mixture of red and black fruit, but infused with cold stone, wet limestone scents. This is beautifully focused. The palate is very well balanced with superb density, almost Richebourg-like in style, here veering towards dark red fruit - cranberry, wild strawberry and a touch of brown spice towards the supremely focused and long finish. Sophisticated and precise, this is a Romanee-Saint-Vivant that will rivet you to your seat. - Score 95-97/100, Neal Martin, Dec 2015
Winery: Domaine Leroy
Style: Red
Varietal(s): 100% Pinot Noir
Size: 750mL
Country: France
Appellation: Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Vosne-Romanee, Burgundy
Vintage: 2014
Alc/Vol: 13.5%
Closure Type: Cork
Winemaking: Making the most careful selection by hand of the grapes when picking, the grapes are brought to the cave in small baskets in refrigerated trucks. The grapes are then carefully sorted on two large sorting tables (not moving conveyor belts) with many eyes watching carefully, to choose only the best and healthiest grapes. Fermentation in large wooden barrel without any de-stemming or crushing to avoid any oxidation and to preserve the precious native yeasts which are present on the skins of the grapes. “Pigeage” (pushing down the cap). “Remontage” consists of moving the fermenting juice from under the cap and bringing it on top of the cap. Slow fermentation and a long maceration.
Ageing: After pressing the wine, the wines go down to the first underground cave. Here they stay until the end of their malo-lactic fermentation. After pouring the juice off of the lees, (“soutirage a la sapine”—when no pumps are used only gravity); the wines then go down to the second, deeper and colder cellar. This is where they stay until they are bottled.
Certified Biodynamic
-
Drinking Window: 2018-2044
About Domaine Leroy
Domaine Leroy, located in Burgundy, France, is one of the most Iconic wine estates. Under the visionary leadership of Lalou Bize-Leroy, who took over in 1988, the domaine has risen to iconic status, renowned for crafting some of the most intricate, age-worthy, and highly coveted wines in Burgundy. The vineyards benefit from rich limestone soils, a cool climate, and optimal sunlight, which together foster a unique terroir that meticulously nurtures the growth and development of the grapes.
All of that said by their very nature of being hand-crafted by Lalou herself, now well into her 90s, one can only speculate as to what the future holds in terms of how long she continues to be the driving force at the Domaine and what impact that will have on their future value. I can only presume that crazy as it seems these wines will appreciate in value over time. Value aside, these rare birds continue to be without doubt some of the most beguilingly brilliant, singular wines being produced today by anyone, and from anywhere. Modern Burgundy as we know it would not exist were it not for the creative force that is Lalou-Bize.
"No words can give the essence or translate what is the reality of every wine, as the identity of each wine is transmitted by its native soil and its vine. I prefer to leave the discovery of these emotions to each of our guests: in some instances of silence and of concentration, the wines will speak for themselves and reveal their own identities and essential characters; of nourishing earth, living minerals and of the vine: the living
plant." - Lalou Bize-Leroy
