Pungently spicy, zesty, and seeming almost to harbor a pinch of horseradish, Bize-Leroy’s 2008 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Boudots demonstrated the need for air to dissipate a slight reduction. Tart-edged, tiny red currant and black berry along with concentrated, saline smoked meat stock on the palate are the perfect foil for all of the wine’s spiciness, zest, as well as a dark piquancy of fruit pits and smokiness of black tea that take on increasing prominence en route to a staining and invigorating finish. This gripping, energetic Pinot is far from the subtlest or most refined of Leroy 2008s, but its impressive virtues should merit following for the better part of two decades. Lalou Bize-Leroy reports average 2008 Pinot Noir yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare, almost absurdly tiny even by her singular standards. Malos were a bit later than usual but were finished by summer, and the wines bottled – as usual – in December. Yet – also as usual – if their development was thereby in any way stunted, you certainly won’t detect it in the bottle today! The best of these display a sense of transparency; levity; and – even when rich and head-spinningly complex – a sheer sense of refreshment and invigoration that I have seldom encountered in other great wines from these sister estates. (Please note that my account of the complete 2007 red collection at Leroy was published in issue #189.) Importer: Martine’s Wines. Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-040