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Domaine Rene Leclerc

I had not been to Leclerc cave for several years, as I had previously found too much of a quality gap between the wines tasted early from barrel and the bottles shipped to the U.S. Too often, it appeared, strong material lost its freshness or was otherwise diminished by a long sojourn in mostly old barrels, and some wines emanating from this cellar were distinctly unclean. But the buzz last fall was that better things were afoot chez Leclerc, and my visit in November turned up some highly promising '96s. Leclerc has increased the percentage of new oak to a reasonable 30%-40%. He has also reduced handling of the wine: following malolactic fermentation in cuve the '96s went into barrel last March by gravity, where they will remain without being racked for 12 months. He now plans to bottle, without fining or filtration, during the second spring following the vintage, having come to admit that 24 months in oak dries the wine. The highlight among the '96s was a Griottes-Chambertin from the holdings of Domaine Chezeaux, on part of which Leclerc now has a long-term en fermage contract. I look forward to tasting these '96s in bottle. (A Peter Vezan Selection; Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs; Europvin/ Christopher Cannan Selections, Watertown, MA)

From 1996 and 1995 Red Burgundies (Mar 1998) by Stephen Tanzer

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1996 Griottes-Chambertin

Color: Red

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