Leroy - Musigny 'Grand Cru' 1971

Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 1971

Summary:
The 1971 Leroy Musigny is often described as one of the greatest Burgundies of all time. While the 1972 is the exception to a weak vintage, the 1971 comes from an excellent vintage and combines its class with the incomparable philosophy of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy. It is the rare and perfect symbiosis of a great year, a mythical terroir and the genius of an unrivalled winemaker. This wine is an absolute icon.

1. historical context & significance

• The Domaine Leroy:Under the leadership of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy, the Domaine has become the ultimate reference for biodynamic cultivation and unrivalled concentration. The meticulous work in the vineyard (e.g. rogange, the weeding out of competing plants to each vine by hand) leads to extremely low yields and intense grape concentration.

• The 1971 vintage in Burgundy: In contrast to 1972, 1971 is considered an excellent to great vintagein Burgundy. A warm, sunny summer with the necessary coolness for ripening produced wines of classic structure, elegant fruit and excellent acidity. It is a vintage for purists, producing wines of longevity and finesse.

• The combination of vintage and winemaker:Leroy's 1971 Musigny epitomises this glorious combination. It takes the qualities of the vintage - finesse, structure and balance - and potentiates them with the extreme concentration and intensity of the Leroy philosophy. Whilst many 1971s today may have passed their peak, this wine still stands unshakeable due to its original density and acidity.

2. sensory description (based on historical tasting notes from critics such as Clive Coates)

Tastings of this wine are extremely rare events that are noted with reverence in the wine world.

• Colour:Amazingly youthful. A deep, translucent ruby-garnet colour with barely faded orange reflections on the rim. An extraordinary colour for a wine that is over 50 years old.

• Nose: A bouquet of overwhelming complexity and depth. It is an explosive and constantly changing firework of aromas: ripe cherries, stewed plums, violets and roses. Underneath, earthy, animal and sub-spicy notes of truffle, damp leaves, cinnamon, carnation and a wild, furry spice develop. The nose is powerful, but never intrusive, with a deep, multi-layered elegance.

• Palate: The entry is monumental in its texture: pure, absolute silk, with an unimaginable density and concentration of flavour that is never heavy, but only of transparent elegance. The flavours of the nose are repeated on the tongue: a mixture of ripe red and black fruit, spice box and forest floor. The acidity is lively and carries the wine as light as a feather, while the tannins are fully integrated and smooth as the finest satin.

• Length:The finish is eternal. It lingers for several minutes and continues to evolve, leaving memories of fruit, minerality and complex spice. It's a finish you never forget.

3. current state and drinking window

• Maturity: This wine has reached full bottle maturityand is on a spectacular plateau. It is no longer on the rise, but is in full splendour.

• Future potential:Due to its undiminished lively acidity and dense fruit structure, a perfectly stored bottle has the potential to linger at this level for many years (decades?) to come. There are no signs of degradation, but why wait? With such a rare opportunity, you should seize the moment.

• Storage & handling: As with all wine antiques, provenance is everything. The bottle must have been stored perfectly. It should not be decanted, but poured carefully and left to develop in the glass for 1-2 hours.

4. evaluation and market situation

• Rating: This wine is consistently awarded high scores (95-100 points).

• Availability & Value: Even rarer and more sought after than the 1972. Production quantities have always been tiny. Bottles practically never appear on the open market.

Conclusion:

The 1971 Leroy Musigny Grand Cru is no longer a wine, but a myth. It is the perfect triad of a great vintage, one of the best terroirs in the world and a winemaker who uncompromisingly pursued her vision. Tasting it is one of the ultimate experiences in the life of a wine lover. It is the benchmark against which all other great Burgundies must be measured - and often fail. An absolutely unforgettable monument.