The Philosopher King Vincent Ledy - Either Crazy or a Genius

Vincent Ledy believes in the true essence, nature and fundamental beauty of terroir like almost no

winemaker I've ever met.  He expounds upon it like a man discussing the love of his life and his eyes attain a far off look when he discusses the inherent beauty of each of his plots.  Most Burgundian winemakers add new French Oak to their red wines to give them added structure and flavor; Ledy believes that this is not only unnecessary, but almost sacrilege.

Is he crazy?  

Maybe.

But he's also a genius and is making wines like no one else in Burgundy.  These wines are great and ridiculous values, otherwise I wouldn't sell them.  But they are also some of the most interesting wines I've tasted this year and must buys for lovers of Burgundy.

The first wine I am offering is the 2011 Vincent Ledy Bourgogne "vin de Presse" for as little as $24.99 on the 6-pack.  Press wine is a more concentrated and flavorful wine that is a result of a pressing after the "free-run juice" (juice that is a result of the solids being separated from the juice), is created, which and according to Vincent, this is the only one made in Burgundy today. It is one of the most interesting and delicious value wines I have ever had from Burgundy. This wine is a blend of press wine from Chorey le Beaune, Bourgogne Rouge, Hautes Cotes de Nuits and Savingy Les Beaune. Crazy, huh? There really is no way to properly describe how insane this wine is, you just have to taste it. It is so dense, flavorful, complex, rich and just so completely different from anything I have ever had at the Bourgogne level, or for that fact many levels above. If you spend $25 on Burgundies you should buy this as it's an insane value.  If you never spend less than $100 you should buy it as well - just to experience it.  It is one of the best value wines from anywhere I have ever tasted. The velvety texture is quite compelling as is the amplitude on the palate and density. You will never believe this is Bourgogne. A unique and absolutely delicious wine. I recommend six bottles as this is a unique and fascinating wine that will reward 5-10 years of aging, plus I know I will suck down 3 bottles as soon as it comes in the fall, odds are you will to. It is so tasty and drinking beautifully right now.

Next up is the 2011 Vincent Ledy Savigny-Les-Beaune which can be had for as little as $32.99 a 4-pack. Vincent works with what he can get. He will take any appellation and put his heart and soul into it and whatever wine it is he will outdo the average quality of the appellation by tenfold. This example is a hugely mineral wine with a core of just intense, sappy, voluminous fruit. Gorgeous wine with such class and elegance and finesse. This whole no new oak thing is just amazing. I haven't tasted Burgundies this pure from someone unknown in a very long time. There is 10% stem inclusion here that adds so much aromatic complexity. Again, like in the previous wine and like all of Vincent Ledy's wines the purity is astonishing. He almost got some Puligny but lost out to his buddy Julien Cruchandeau. He is one of those guys you taste with and just start questioning why he hasn't sold outside of NSG, barely has anybody to the cellar and is making absolutely thrilling wines in a totally unique style with so much distinction. The Savigny is drinking well now and will age for 10-15 years. The balance in these wines is extraordinary. He got this parcel in 2009 and it is from two distinct named sub-parcels, both directly below the great 1er Cru "Les Lavieres." One is called Les Connardises and one is called Les Petits Liards. Connardises is clay and limestone but more clay dominant and Petit Liards is more 1er Cru like in its soil composition with small stones. Both are very old vines with Connardises planted in 1939 and Les Petits Liards planted in 1954. I will say it over and over and over, get a young, passionate winemaker and give him excellent parcels in not the greatest terroir and he will overexcel. These are the wines i live for in Burgundy, The hidden gems.

Vincent Ledy is the definition of a small producer. We visited him in Nuits St Georges and getting around his cellar you had to be almost a trained acrobat or at least very skinny as there was almost no room. Climbing on barrels, spitting on people's shoes were the least of it. Vincent also told me that I was the first American to visit his cellar and he has only sold the wines locally in Nuits St. Georges where his cellar is located.  You can not only brag about finding this producer to your American friends, but your Parisian friends as well.

The wines. Oh these wines. They are STUNNING. They are exceptional wines of terroir as Mr. Ledy uses no new oak. He believes oak obfuscates the terroir imprint that he is trying to get. He also does not want oak tannins as he wants the pure tannins from the terroir and grapes. His barrels are also clean as a whistle as he gets them from the old Domaine he used to work at. He started with no new oak because he could not afford it but after a bit it became a conscious decision. The barrels in his cellar see minimum four different wines before Vincent uses them. After tasting his brilliant wines there are no two ways around it. The wines are so full of fruit it is ridiculous and the site character is just astonishing. There might be something to this no new oak thing. Vincent is about as humble and passionate a winemaker as I have ever met and he backs it up with his product in the bottle. Every wine was amazing and it is very very hard to pick what I wanted to sell.

I was BUTT freezing in his cellar as it was and will always be the coldest cellar I have ever tasted in. I mean brick diesel freezing like you could not believe. But, this is what I do and I loved every minute of it. The wines were astonishing and Vincent Ledy is a rising star. They almost remind me of the brilliant Burgundies of Catherine & Claude Marechal. Full of the most puppy-like friendly fruit you can imagine, although Vincent's is of the darker kind, while Marechal is the redder kind, but both have a lovely intensity and friendliness that, in my experience is unique to these two producers.

Ledy's first vintage was 2007 and he has always been very small. He is a bit over 2 hectares now and in 2012 he made his first 1er Cru from NSG "Clos des Porrets." Vincent is a stickler when it comes to buying new vineyards and believes what I believe in that it is much better to have a well placed parcel in a lesser vineyard than average parcel in a highly regarded vineyard. His first vintage was 2007, so we are talking a very young Domaine. The ones I love working with.

One word about 2011 that I observed when I was tasting in Burgundy in March. 2011 is the big sleeper from 2010-2013. They gained so much weight in bottle and are simply delicious now. More freshness, darker colors and just more of everything. Do not sleep on this vintage as there is barely and '12 and '13. I am so happy with the way 2011 is developing.

2011 Vincent Ledy Bourgogne "vin de Presse" - 

$26.99 ($149.94 6-pack)

2011 Vincent Ledy Savigny-Les-Beaune - $34.99
($131.96 4-pack)