I bought a case of this Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge 1990 on futures for about $149/case. For a particularly good vintage, that was a good buy even in the early 1990s. When the case was delivered, the wine had clearly been exposed to high temperatures, and some bottles had leaked. I registered a respectful complaint but did not demand a refund since I had gotten a good price for a wine that I really wanted to drink. Because I was aware of the damage, I drank the case more quickly than I might have done, and the wine was really pretty good, better than other Bourgogne Rouge wines from that vintage and others.
As often happens, the final lonely bottle sat in my cellar for 30 years, and I assumed it was probably dead. But when my Cellar Tracker Pro software informed me that the wine is now worth $253, I had to open the cork. There were no stains on the label and little or no ullage from the bottle. The cork was recessed but tight and difficult to extract--apparently a good seal after the initial trauma Who knows what this wine might have been had it not been exposed to heat during its youth? But what is in my glass does not disappoint at all.
Medium ruby, clear and bright. Looks as young as ever. The bouquet is slow to open, but intense flavors are apparent immediately and get even better as the wine airs. Small red berries and spice. The texture is what Pinot Noir is all about. Light on the tongue but with a tensile strength. Ripe fruit that is suprisingly youthful but with the complex nuances that come with long aging. My experience with fine red Burgundy is limited, but this bottle is probably the best I have had. I don't buy $250 wines, but I just drank one. No complaints.
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