Leroy - Musigny 'Grand Cru' 1972

Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 1972

Summary:
A legendary wine from a difficult vintage decade, embodying the incomparable signature of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy and the magical terroir quality of Musigny. This wine is a living piece of winemaking history and proves that great winemakers can achieve extraordinary things even in difficult years. Today it is an extreme rarity and is one of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world.

1. historical context & significance

• Domaine Leroy:Founded in 1868 by François Leroy, the estate became one of the most iconic domains in Burgundy under the leadership of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy from the 1970s onwards. Its organic cultivation, extremely low yields and uncompromising quality philosophy are the key to the legend of these wines.

• The 1972 vintage in Burgundy: In general, 1972 is considered a difficult and mixed vintage. It was cool and damp, with challenges during the ripening period. Many wines from this vintage were lean, often acidic and lacking in fruit and material. They were drunk early or have long since passed.

• The speciality of this wine: Leroy Musigny '72 is the famous exception to the rule. It proves that a great winemaker(vigneron) can put the terroir above the whims of the weather. Extremely selective harvesting and meticulous work in the vineyard and cellar have made it possible to produce a wine of unprecedented concentration and longevity that puts all other wines of the vintage in the shade. It is proof of the Leroy mantra: "The wine is made in the vineyard."

2nd Sensory description (based on historical tasting notes)

A wine of this maturity should be handled with the utmost care and not decanted. It is poured carefully into the goblet and observed for hours.

• Colour:Amazingly vibrant for a 50+ year old wine. A transparent, bright garnet red with salmon-coloured (pelure d'oignon) and amber reflections on the rim. Shows no signs of fatigue.

• Nose: The nose is of stunning complexity and intensity. An explosive bouquet of ripe, dried strawberries, raspberry jam, violets and studied old leather. Exotic notes of truffle, damp earth, cinnamon, sandalwood and an animal, almost furry spiciness develop underneath. The nose is never tired, but constantly changes and opens up in the glass.

• Palate: It enters the palate with an incredible delicacy and silkinessthat immediately reveals the unrivalled texture of the Musigny terroir. The fruit has become a pure, concentrated essence, carried by a lively, perfectly integrated acidity that gives the wine its structure and incredible freshness. The tannins are completely fused and feel like silk. The flavour oscillates between red fruit compote, under the earth, truffle and a mineral salinity.

• Length:The length of the finish is monumental and lingers for minutes. It leaves an impression of purity, complexity and deep, serious elegance.

3. current condition and drinking window

• Maturity: This wine is on a plateau of maturity. It has been ready to drink for many years, but shows no signs of degradation in intact bottles.

• Future potential:Due to its lively acidity and dense texture, a perfectly stored bottle could well last another few years (if not a decade). However, the primary goal is not further ageing potential, but the preservation of its current, spectacular state. It should no longer be stored, but finally savoured.

• Storage: The condition of the bottle is everything. Only a perfectly storedbottle (upright, cool, dark, without temperature fluctuations) with an intact cork and a good fill level can offer this experience. Any suspicion of leakage or storage damage makes opening a lottery.

4 Valuation and market situation

• Rating: In today's rating language, this wine would certainly receive 98-100 points, less for pure power than for its transcendent complexity, elegance and the emotional journey it takes the drinker on. It is one of the greatest Burgundies ever produced.

• Availability & value: The wine is extremely rare. Bottles almost never appear on the open market. When they do, it is at the world's most prestigious auction houses (such as Sotheby's or Christie's) or on the menus of the most exclusive restaurants.

Conclusion:

The Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 1972 is more than just a wine. It defies conventional wisdom about its vintage and stands as an eternal monument to the genius of Madame Leroy and the unrivalled magic of the Musigny terroir. Tasting a bottle would be a unique, historic experience, a conversation with history that absolutely justifies its status as one of the ultimate sanctuaries of the wine world.

Note:This report is based on historical tasting notes from wine critics (such as Clive Coates), auction catalogues and the collective narrative about this wine. The sensory description is an approximation, as the flavour of each bottle depends on its individual ageing history.