1997 Domaine Leroy Romanee-St. Vivant

There are oenophiles who believe that Domaine Leroy produces the greatest wines in the world. The estate was founded in Burgundy in 1868 and today is owned and run by Lalou Bize-Leroy, a dynamo of a woman who represents the current generation of the founding family. Bize-Leroy is famous, among other reasons, for being an early adopter of biodynamic vineyard cultivation, meaning that there have been no chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides of any kind used in the Domaine Leroy production for many decades. The domaine, located in Vosne-Romanee, makes numerous wines, but is renowned for its Grand Crus and Premier Crus. Its Grand Crus are Corton-Charlemagne, Corton-Renardes, Richebourg, Romanee-St.-Vivant, Clos de Vougeot, Musigny, Clos de la Roche, Latricieres-Chambertin and Chambertin. The domaine has a total vineyard area of 56 acres which is planted in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aligote. Production is extremely limited, usually between 10,000 to 20,000 bottles.

Romanee-Saint-Vivant is a 23-acre Grand Cru vineyard just on the northern edge of the commune of Vosne-Romanee in the Cote de Nuits. The vineyard faces east, has a gentle incline and an elevation of 250 to 265 meters. The soil is clay and limestone. Principal producers of Romanee-Saint-Vivant are Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, with 13.23 acres; Leroy, with 2.48 acres; and Domaine de Corton-Grancey/Louis Latour, with 1.9 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.