2003 Richebourg

Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2003 Richebourg Grand Cru is drinking exquisitely well, mingling aromas of plums and sweet red berries with notes of raw cocoa, exotic spices, candied peel, burning embers and subtle hints of smoked meats. Full-bodied, rich and expansive, it's a lavish, dramatic wine, defined by a deep and voluminous core of sumptuous fruit that's framed by velvety tannins and ripe but lively acids, concluding with a long and superbly integrated finish. This a striking, dramatic Richebourg that demonstrates the deftness with which Leroy realized all the potential of this extreme vintage.

Brilliant ruby-red color, brighter than the Romanee-Saint-Vivant. Pure but reticent nose hints at black cherry, blackberry, violet and minerals. Wonderfully sweet in the mouth even if this very primary, minerally wine is totally unevolved. This also carries considerable weight, but the explosive fruit shows a sappy quality missing in a few of the Leroy '03s. Finishes with firm, building tannins and superb fruity persistence. I should note that Lalou Bize described this wine as "not yet finished" and seemed to indicate a preference for the Romanee-Saint-Vivant.