Non è universalmente amata ei suoi vini vanno oltre la maggior parte di noi, ma Stephen Brook è schiavo dell'instancabile Lalou Bize-Leroy
Lalou Bize-Leroy non sembra affatto diversa da come era quando veniva a Londra a metà degli anni '80 per presentare i vini del Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, di cui la sua famiglia è comproprietaria. Ha una figura snella ed elfica, con luminosi occhi grigio-blu e capelli che ora sono biondo argento piuttosto che biondi puri, i suoi vestiti sono chic ma sobri. È del tutto plausibile pensare a questa figura agile e snella come una appassionata arrampicatrice, cosa che è stata per decenni. Fino a quando uno non si ferma a considerare che alla sua età, potrebbe desiderare di riposarsi. Ma non per niente.
Bize-Leroy vive e respira il terroir della Borgogna. Fino al 1988 la sua preoccupazione principale era l'attività di famiglia négociant, Maison Leroy, che ancora gestisce, mantenendo le cantine Meursault rifornite con un milione di bottiglie di pregiata Borgogna. Il suo bisnonno lo fondò nel 1868, ma fu suo padre che iniziò a fare scorte di vecchi vini dal 1919 in poi. 'Abbiamo ancora alcune bottiglie di quell'annata in vendita.' Per non parlare di ogni grande annata da allora. 'L'occupazione principale di mio padre era gestire il Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, quindi non riuscì mai a vendere i vini che comprava.' Bize-Leroy lo raggiunse nel 1955.
Tale esperienza e prospettiva la collocano in una posizione formidabile all'interno della gerarchia della Borgogna. 'Non ho contratti con i coltivatori e ricomincio da zero ogni anno. Se un vino mi piace, lo compro. In caso contrario, non lo faccio. 'Con tali enormi riserve a cui attingere, non si sente obbligata a comprare ogni anno.
I vini della Maison Leroy sono enormemente costosi, ma lei ne è completamente orgogliosa. Assaggia la gamma circa una volta all'anno e decide cosa pubblicare, cosa tenere. Spesso quelle rilasciate sono vecchie annate mature, rapidamente acquistate dai collezionisti, soprattutto negli Stati Uniti e in Giappone. Possiede anche il Domaine d'Auvenay di 4 ettari a St-Romain, che suo marito Marcel Bize gestì fino alla sua morte pochi anni fa. Ora lo gestisce da sola. Nonostante il suo indirizzo modesto, Auvenay ha un numero di grand cru nel suo portafoglio, ma le quantità sono minime e la coda per le allocazioni è lunga.
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