2001 Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru
By Domaine Leroy
2001 Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Burgundy, France by Domaine Leroy
The 2001 vintage in Burgundy was one that true enthusiasts of the region speak of with a hushed reverence, and the 2001 Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy exemplifies this year with sublime elegance. The growing season, marked by cool nights and warm days, positioned the harvest at an auspicious juncture, delivering grapes with splendid balance - a poised dance of acidity and maturity.
A Connoisseur's Delight: Investment and Indulgence
Fine wine investors keen on adding Burgundian masterpieces to their portfolios will note that the 2001 vintage from Domaine Leroy is a luminary offering. Domaine Leroy's meticulous vineyard husbandry, married to the unique climatic conditions of 2001, harnessed a crop that was scarce but spectacular - a narrative retold in every sip.
Terroir and Technique: A Harmonious Vintage
The texture of the 2001 Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru cascades over the palate like fine silk. Red and black fruit nuances abound, interlaced with earthly whispers of truffle and a slight hint of game - an echo of autumnal abundance. The tannins, now softened with age, still provide an undercurrent of structure that promises further evolution in the bottle. Seductive spices persist through to a finish that is both complex and gratifyingly long.
This vintage stands apart in its symphony of mature flavours and poised elegance. With two decades behind it, the wine has entered its plateau of peak maturity, offering a layered complexity that is rewarding now but will undoubtedly continue to captivate for several years hence.
Investing in this vintage holds the allure not merely of financial gain but also sensory pleasure—the aroma and palate exhibit signs of incredible preservation and vitality, traits one may seek out in Burgundian vintages capable of outstripping their initial estimations.
To encapsulate, the 2001 Romanee-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru from Domaine Leroy is a paragon among Burgundies; a wine deeply rooted in the terroir of its origin - an emblem for sophisticated palates that discerningly survey the landscape for wines which possess both individuation and investment merit.
Current market price
$157,280.00
12x75cl
Highest score
91
POP score
8590.91
Scores and tasting notes
The medium ruby-colored 2001 Romanee-St.-Vivant has a highly expressive nose of super-ripe grapes, blackberries, and violets. Medium-bodied, it slathers the palate with layers of floral blackberry and cassis flavors. This fruit-forward wine displays outstanding depth, a plump, flavorful personality, and the some hints of stemminess in the finish. It should be drunk over the next 6-7 years. 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
Pierre Rovani - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2003