Domaine René Leclerc Gevrey Chambertin 2021

René and Francois Leclerc are two of the most renowned and respected winemakers in the Burgundian wine mecca of Gevrey-Chambertin, and indeed throughout the entire Côte-d’Or. They are an example of the quintessential father/son winemaking team in Burgundy; passionate, devoted, and intent on passing essential knowledge of their unique terroir through the generations. For although son Francois has slowly taken more and more responsibility off his father, the ethos of Domaine Rene Leclerc remains unchanged: traditional, terroir-driven reds of great power and elegance that speak of their origins. Both father and son maintain that the magic and vitality of Pinot Noir must take precedence above all else. So the vinification and aging process is as delicate as possible to keep the purity of the grape’s fruit at the forefront. 

Domaine René Leclerc was founded in 1962 after René Leclerc became independent of his father’s Domaine and decided to set out on his own. Initially working out of a neighboring property, René built a modern winery on the village’s famous Route de Dijon, in addition to a fine wine store in the center of the village. Since that time, René has been fortunate to own some of the finest vineyards in the appellation and is renowned for his vines’ age, typically 50-80 years old. But most importantly, René has always been a true Burgundian in the best sense of the word. He and his children have developed an unrivaled understanding of their terroir and spend far more time in the vineyard than in the winery. This hard-work and dedication have more than paid dividends in wines of real elegance and finesse, loved by Burgundy lovers worldwide.

Today, the future direction of this brilliant property increasingly rests with Francois, who has inherited his father’s passion for non-interventionist winemaking and the unwavering devotion to expressing the fruit flavors of Pinot Noir. Indeed, their wine press dates back to 1951, and artificial elements are omitted as much as possible during the fermentation process – also, the wines are bottled without any fining or filtration. However, Francois is no conservative, stick-in-the-mud vigneron. Perfecting his craft in Oregon’s region on America’s west coast, he combines the best of new and old-world winemaking techniques to great admiration from the critical world; wine guru Robert Parker much lauds Leclerc’s wines.