A Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru from 2011, bottled under the Maison Leroy label. Puligny is known for a taut, mineral style of Chardonnay, and this one has had over a decade to fill out in bottle.
About This Wine
Puligny-Montrachet lies south of Meursault and shares the grand crus of Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet with Chassagne. Its premier crus are usually finer-boned and more saline than Meursault's. The label names only the Premier Cru level, without a single climat, so this is likely a blend across Puligny premier cru sites. 2011 was an early, uneven season in which careful selection mattered a great deal.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Lemon zest, white flowers and pear, with light toast and a flinty note.
- Palate: Poised and precise, with citrus and orchard fruit, hazelnut and a stony middle.
- Finish: Long, saline and clean.
Serving & Food
Chill to about 11°C and let it warm slightly in a tulip-shaped Burgundy glass. It is in a good drinking window now and should hold for several more years. Serve with steamed razor clams, crab with ginger and spring onion, or a simple grilled sea bass.
How to Enjoy
A dinner-party white for seafood, and for guests who prefer precision over richness.
Product Details
Producer: Maison Leroy
Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru, Burgundy, France
Style: White Burgundy
Vintage: 2011
Grape: Chardonnay
Volume: 750mL
About the Maison
The Leroy name today covers three separate businesses. Maison Leroy, founded in 1868, is the original négociant house and selects wines from other growers. Domaine Leroy, created in 1988, farms the family's own vineyards in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Domaine d'Auvenay, set up by Lalou Bize-Leroy on family land in Saint-Romain, is her small personal estate.
Of the three, the Maison is the one that reaches the most drinkers. Its list runs from Bourgogne to grand cru and across many decades of vintages, so it offers a way into the Leroy style without the tiny volumes of the two estates.