Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy, one of the most formidable and dynamic wine personalities on the planet, directs one of Burgundy’s most prestigious domaines. Built around the former Domaine Charles Noëllat (Vosne-Romanée) purchased in 1988, it now boasts 22 ha of some of the finest crus in the Côte d’Or. Lalou Bize has championed the cause of biodynamic viticulture and has built a domaine to rival the Domaine de la ROMANÉE-CONTI, which she co-managed until 1993. In terms of out and out quality there is arguably no finer estate. Yields are tiny (20–24 hl/ha is typical), and in common with Romanée-Conti there is no destemming, long cuvaisons and more than enough new oak to keep the tonnelier (barrelmaking) firms happy. The wines are distinguished by quite staggering concentration and richness, in some instances with almost overwhelming extract and structure, as well as great intensity, depth and length. Every wine needs the best part of a decade’s age and they usually have the balance to keep for much longer. Due to insufficient repeated tastings of the wines they have not been rated individually but as an indication of their ratings generally the grands crus (8 red and 1 white) are 5 stars, leading premiers crus 4 or 5 stars, and others at least 3 stars. Reds include: (grands crus) Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, Clos de la Roche, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Corton Renardes; (premiers crus) Gevrey-Chambertin Combottes, Chambolle-Musigny Charmes, Vosne-Romanée Aux Brulées and Beaux Monts, Nuits-Saint-Georges Boudots and Vignerondes, Volnay Santenots and Savigny-lès-Beaune Narbantons; (villagelevel) Chambolle-Musigny Fremières,Vosne-Romanée Genevrières, Nuits-Saint-Georges Au Bas du Combe, Aux Allots and Lavières and Pommard Les Vignots. The only white is some Corton-Charlemagne. Bize-Leroy’s own domaine is Domaine D’AUVENAY, while Leroy SA is the négociant and distribution operation.
