2024 Benjamin Leroux Volnay 1er Cru "Caillerets", Burgundy, France

ABOUT THE WINE

The 2024 Volnay 1er Cru "Caillerets" is sourced from one of Volnay's most distinguished Premier Cru vineyards, often regarded as among the appellation's finest terroirs. Situated on a gently sloping hillside with shallow, stony limestone soils—reflected in the vineyard's name, Caillerets, meaning "little stones"—the site consistently produces Pinot Noir of exceptional purity, finesse, and longevity.

The bouquet is remarkably perfumed, revealing layers of wild cherry, raspberry, red currant, crushed strawberries, rose petals, violets, and subtle notes of orange zest, sweet baking spice, forest floor, and chalky minerality. The palate is elegant and seamless, offering vibrant red fruit supported by lively acidity and extraordinarily fine, silky tannins. Rather than relying on sheer power, the wine captivates through precision, transparency, and remarkable energy. The finish is exceptionally long, graceful, and defined by lingering floral nuances and distinctive limestone-driven minerality.

The fruit is harvested entirely by hand and meticulously sorted before fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Benjamin Leroux employs gentle extraction to preserve the vineyard's delicate aromatic profile and refined tannin structure. The wine is matured in French oak barrels with only a restrained proportion of new oak, allowing the purity of the fruit and the character of the terroir to remain at the forefront. Minimal intervention throughout élevage ensures an authentic expression of this exceptional Premier Cru site.

Although already captivating in its youth, Volnay 1er Cru "Caillerets" possesses the structure and balance to evolve beautifully over the next 12–20 years, developing even greater aromatic complexity and silky refinement with age.

Food Pairing: An exceptional match for roast duck, squab, veal tenderloin, herb-crusted lamb, wild mushroom dishes, truffle risotto, or aged Comté and Gruyère.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Benjamin Leroux is regarded as one of Burgundy's leading contemporary winemakers. After serving as régisseur at Comte Armand, he established his own domaine and négociant house in 2007, quickly earning international recognition for wines that combine precision, elegance, and faithful expressions of terroir.

Working with sustainably farmed vineyards and long-standing grower partners, Leroux emphasizes meticulous vineyard management, low yields, and harvesting at optimal maturity. In the cellar, he favors indigenous yeast fermentations, gentle extraction, restrained use of French oak, and minimal intervention, ensuring each wine reflects the unique identity of its vineyard with clarity and balance.

His wines have become benchmarks for modern Burgundy, admired for their purity, transparency, and understated sophistication. The Volnay 1er Cru "Caillerets" perfectly embodies this philosophy, capturing the vineyard's renowned floral elegance, limestone-driven minerality, and exceptional finesse in a wine of remarkable precision and enduring age-worthiness.