Richard Leroy came to winemaking through an unconventional path. A former soccer player turned Parisian banker, he began to cultivate Chenin Blanc vines in Anjou in 1996. At first he focused on sweet wines, but in 2000 he began to move away from making wines with residual sugar--and that's where he really found his groove. Eventually he and his family moved full-time to the tiny, picturesque village of Rablay-sur-Layon, so that Leroy could pursue his passion for creating dry, terroir-driven Chenin Blanc.
 | | Richard Leroy in his vineyards in Anjou |
Since then, the hard-working, down-to-earth Leroy has established a sterling reputation throughout the Loire Valley and beyond. "There is no other way to convey my strong feelings about this vigneron and what he bottles other than to state that these are truly stunning wines," wrote well-respected wine journalist Chris Kissack, a.k.a. Winedoctor, in 2011. "These are clearly some of the very best wines of Anjou, if not the best of all. To my mind Richard Leroy should be ranked alongside the very top vignerons of the Loire, alongside the Foucualt fr�res, No�l Pinguet, and others."
We could not agree more. When Tim and I visited Leroy in June 2011, we had already tasted some of his delicious previous vintages. And Peter had told us of Leroy's meticulous nature and attention to detail. Still, we couldn't help feeling impressed by the domaine's immaculately groomed vineyards, the care taken with �levage, and the evident love of craft that goes into Leroy's process. (His enthusiasm for his chosen field seems to be matched only by his obsession with soccer.) "In my many years of observing winegrowers displaying passion for their terroir, I have never witnessed greater," wrote David Schildknecht in The Wine Advocate, Issue #190.
The wines we tasted in Leroy's ancient stone-walled garage, both in barrel and in bottle, were stunning in their ability to weave delicate minerals and floral notes into powerful fruit. They drank beautifully by themselves, but we couldn't help thinking of how elegantly they'd elevate almost any meal. According to Leroy, he even drinks them with steak, which he grills for friends in the garage, right alongside the barrels.
 | | Anjou, located in the western Loire Valley |
Domaine Richard Leroy includes two pastoral parcels in Anjou. The 2-hectare No�ls de Montbenault occupies a hilltop site of volcanic soil, with 50-year-old vines. And the Clos des Rouliers comprises 0.7 hectares of gray schist, with a southern exposure. Leroy grows Chenin Blanc on both, employing biodynamic techniques (he holds ECOCERT certification) to produce the purest possible expression of fruit, flowers, and rock. He harvests by hand, uses only indigenous yeasts, and minimizes sulfur use--all of which lead to very low yields. Typically, the wines spend one year in barrique. (For those of you wondering about the change in Leroy's labels from the Anjou appellation to simply Chenin, he has chosen to designate his wines as Vin de France due to a disagreement with the commission d'agrement that grants appellation status.)
2009 proved a tricky year for terroir-driven winemakers across France, and Anjou was no exception. Unusually hot weather led to riper, fuller styles, which if not handled very carefully can overshadow the subtleties of dry Chenin Blanc. Leroy showed his mettle with this vintage, producing a No�ls de Montbenault that is drinking beautifully right now. It's shed its baby fat to reveal a shimmering expression of Chenin Blanc from Anjou. Honeyed nuances of bright fruit and intense mineral continue into the mid-palate, and keep evolving through the extremely long finish. The wine's balanced acidity complements its rich, expansive quality. His Clos des Rouliers is a somewhat lighter expression from Leroy, with more notes of pear and apricot on the palate, but no less enjoyable.
The 2010s, which so favorably impressed us in barrel, hit a similarly high note--and without the wait time in bottle that was needed for the 2009s. As great as the '09s and '10s are now, though, they'll be even more exceptional after 5 to 10 years in the cellar.
This weekend you'll have a great opportunity to get to know Leroy's wines. We'll pour tastes of what's available, and are offering 15% off mixed or matched 6-packs on any of the cuv�es listed to the right.
"I cannot get these wines out of my head," wrote another well-known wine blogger, Lyle Fass of Rockss and Fruit, of Leroy's Chenins. We fully agree. But it's a magnificent obsession. -- Meghan Drueding, Contributing Editor, Weygandt Wines |
Cheers,
Peter Weygandt and Tim O'Rourke
Weygandt Wines
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STORE HOURS:
Mondays thru Fridays -- 11am-8pm
Saturdays -- 10am-8pm
Sundays -- CLOSED
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Clos des Rouliers 2009
$34.99/btl
Only 9 btls available
"To my palate, Richard Leroy is clearly one of the greatest vignerons in Anjou, as I have never been anything short of blown away by any of his wines that I have had the pleasure to taste. The Les Rouliers bottling from Richard Leroy is comprised of his youngest vines, which are now fifteen years of age. He tends to make a lighter wine with less late harvest character out of this parcel. The 2009 Les Rouliers is excellent, offering up a deep and complex nose of apple, orange rind, chalky soil tones, lanolin and a touch of lemongrass in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and complex, with a great core of fruit, ripe, snappy acids and superb length and grip on the off-dry finish. Stylistically, this is like a cross between a Demi-Sec and a light Moelleux. A superb wine. (Drink between 2012-2035)" -
93 points, John Gilman, A View From the Cellar; 17/20, Chris Kissack, Winedoctor 
No�ls de Montbenault 2009
$39.99/btl
Only 4 cases available
"This wine has a lovely honeyed expression on the nose, with a very pure style to it. On the palate it starts off beautifully honed and polished, showing a well defined bite with good framing acidity too. Its feel is superb, a wine of gorgeous breadth with a fine, open perfume. Brightly composed, with a long and substantial finish. This is very impressive; definitely a must for the cellar." - 18.5/20, Chris Kissack, Winedoctor
Clos des Rouliers 2010
$39.99/btl
Only 4 cases available
An absolutely explosive nose of ripe, crisp apples, vivid pear, cider spice, and lime zest. This has fantastic weight on the palate, and is bursting with detailed, fresh orchard fruits. This is well structured, with lively balancing acidity and plenty of mineral drive through the citrus laden finish. A wonderful wine, and definitely one for the cellar. No�ls de Montbenault 2010
$44.99/btl
Only 5 cases available
An intense nose of honey, beeswax, citrus and tropical fruit. Tangerine and other citrus dominate the palate, with beautiful, focused, bracing acidity and a briny minerality. This continues to develop in the glass and the result is nothing short of spectacular!
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