Bright ruby-red. Extravagant, multifacted aromas of raspberry, strawberry, underbrush, cocoa powder, smoke and earth. Lush, suave and very deep, with a spherical shape that perfectly fills the mouth. Offers compelling fat and a seamless texture, but also superb delineation of flavor. More refined than the Corton that preceded it. A wine of compelling sweetness, with its tannins perfectly buffered by lush fruit.

The 2001 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru has a fragrant bouquet that does not quite deliver the same riveting delineation or focus as the DRC and comes across a tad more stemmy and tertiary in style; crushed rose petal notes emerge with time. The palate is well balanced, quite edgy and spicier than the DRC, leading to a mineral-rich, energetic bitter cherry finish. This improves in the glass, gaining cohesion and more finesse after 60 minutes, so a long decant will not go amiss. 2,376 bottles produced. Tasted at the DRC/Leroy comparative dinner in Hong Kong.

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