2022 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This bottling is a blend of various vineyards that often include sites in Meursault and Puligny. Vines age from 29-89 years. The grapes are direct-pressed whole-cluster and aged in mostly used oak foudres and barrel for 12 months. Low sulphur at bottling.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Ben was born in 1975 in Beaune, not to a vigneron family, yet decided in his teens that wine was what he wanted to do. After his enology studies, he worked at Cos d'Estournel in Bordeaux, Domaine Drouhin in Oregon, Louis Jadot in Beaune, and Comte Armand in Pommard, where he was named technical director and manager at the age of 24. In 2007, he founded his own domaine and négoce. All estate fruit is certified organic. with Biodynamic practices. Purchased fruit is, at the least, sustainably farmed.

Ben stayed at Comte Armand for fifteen vintages and started his own side project in 2007. Though there are no family vineyards, he now vinifies approximately 30 hectares, 8 of which are domaine holdings that are farmed organically and biodynamically.

His range of appellations is astounding. It spans the Côte from Chassagne-Montrachet to Gevrey-Chambertin, and includes all levels in Burgundy’s hierarchy. Particular favorites are his collection of premier crus, not only because many of them are the most prized, but sometimes precisely because of the opposite. Take Blagny. Right? Yet, with its high altitude and white marl soils, it produces reds and whites with such rebellious minerality and freshness they regularly steal the show.