Lalou Bize-Leroy doesn't do things by the book. She is, commented Neal Martin of Wine Advocate following his last visit chez Lalou, "a one-off who truly deserves the title of 'legend'". She's unique and elusive in much the same way as her wines are difficult to snap up or pin down.
This, though, is an opportunity to savour a drop of her enigmatic genius.
The vintage in Burgundy was warm and dry overall, yielding whites that are "clean, pure and rich, favouring ripe orchard and soft citrus fruits over minerality," according to Stephen Tanzer of Vinous Media, "The 2015 reds are seriously impressive," was Jancis Robinson's impression from tasting a broad assortment of négociant wines. Decanter Magazine's verdict was similar: "The red wines are truly great: rich, powerful and statuesque but almost always underpinned by juicy acidity." The wines of the elusory Lalou were not, of course, included in those tastings. But whatever the norm is, she always soars high above it - even when the bar is as high as in the universally lauded 2014 vintage. From that year, Lalou assembled "remarkably good wines that without question transcend the general quality of the vintage," according to Allen Meadows of Burghound.
In fact, Meadows' comments on those Domaine Leroy 2014s goes to the heart of why she's so special - and cannot but whet the appetite of anyone who hankers to experience greatness in wine. "It's not so much that the wines are powerhouses of exceptional concentration," writes Meadows, "so much as they are just so harmonious and seamless that you can't help but admire their grace and inner beauty."
These two Bourgognes from 2015, a red and a white, are a pathway to grace and inner beauty. In a vintage like 2015 they transcend their status and are not to be missed.
More praise for 2015 and Leroy:
2015 has been called a "hedonist's vintage" by Jancis Robinson, Neal Martin said "make no mistake, 2015 Burgundy is a great vintage", Allen Meadows concluded that it is "indeed the greatest since the legendary 2005" and Steen Öhman advised "I would certainly say stockpile".
Although yet to be scored by the experts, the critics are unanimous in their praise for Lalou Bize-Leroy's legendary wines:
"It's not so much that the wines are powerhouses of exceptional concentration, so much as they are just so harmonious and seamless that you can't help but admire their grace and inner beauty." - Allen Meadows
"Leroy stands virtually alone at the top of Burgundy's quality hierarchy... her wines embarrass much of what is produced... a portfolio of red and white Burgundies that qualitatively have no peers." - Robert Parker
"This is the greatest estate in Burgundy... The sheer concentration, depth and intensity Lalou Bize-Leroy manages to squeeze into her bottles is breathtaking." - Clive Coates MW
"Leroy is one of the legendary producers in Burgundy - a domaine formed and managed by the equally legendary Mme. Lalou Bize-Leroy." - Steen Öhman
"Burgundy's most celebrated vigneronne." - Jancis Robinson
"Absolute perfection... an absolute reference." - La Revue du Vin de France
"Their finesse and persistence of flavour is extraordinary." - Decanter Magazine
"Mesmerizing wines." - Neal Martin
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