An amazingly complex and profound minerality is evident on the nose of the Criots-Batard-Montrachet. Its character is tightly wound, defined, medium-to-full-bodied, and racy. Stones, gravel, metals, and white flowers are found in this vibrant yet dense and oily-textured wine. Its awesomely long finish holds the palate captive for at least 45 seconds, revealing precise mineral and chalk flavors. It will be at its peak between 2007 and 2018. Kudos for Mme. Leroy for producing such a majestic range of white Burgundies.
If I were still in college, I would visit my professor of ethics to debate the wisdom of spending hundreds of dollars for a bottle of wine that may not be at its peak for 15 years after the vintage. My sense is that after an hour or so of spirited discussion we would come to the banal conclusion that rather than taste, discipline, and passion, one's discretionary income was the critical factor. These wines are astronomically expensive and will require considerable age before attaining their respective peaks. Ideally, enormously wealthy wine lovers will acquire them for their children to enjoy (Mme. Bize-Leroy boldly said "I fully expect my white 1996s to remain youthful for fifty years.").
Whereas other producers covered me with explanations as to why high yields were acceptable in 1996, Lalou Bize-Leroy averaged 15 hectoliters/hectare on her whites, less than one third the yields she could have taken. A self-proclaimed non-interventionist, she told me "all the oenologists told me to deacidify my wines in 1996. To me it is a crime, akin to de-boning a man. Wine is life." Leroy, who says she always harvests late in order to gain additional ripeness, only chaptalised one of her 1996s, the Chevalier-Montrachet (2 kilograms of sugar per barrel). None of these offerings were fined or filtered. Consequently, they are already throwing a deposit.
Importers: Martine's Wines, Inc., San Rafael, CA; tel (415) 485-1800.
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