Description
Benjamin Leroux is considered by many to be the successor of Henri Jayer, his knowledge about wine and most of all about each terroir characteristics runs deep. After establishing his name by leading Domaine Comte Armand Clos des Epeneaux for eight years, Leroux has started a négociant business in 2007 to make wines under his own label, in a winery that he shares with Dominique Lafon.
The Production is very limited and Leroux is determined only to work with vineyards that have been well managed and produce outstanding fruits from interesting and unjustly under rated terroirs. In fact, Leroux’s knowledge of Burgundy’s countless terroirs seems boundless and producers like him are waking up the wine world to the fact that the reputation of many Côte d’Or vineyards has as much to do with the producers who work them than any intrinsic qualities of the sites themselves.
He carefully selects his growers and exerts maximum control over them, converting them as possible to organic and biodynamic practices.
Even if Benjamin is known to be a technical master of oenology, he keeps a very instinctive approach of winemaking and an open mind towards every technics, he perceives biodynamic as a flexible philosophy rather than a rigid credo and he chooses what he thinks is the best at each step.
His wines are youthful and expressive, it seems that he treats his Generic Bourgogne as if they were Grands Crus, they are precise and poised, well structured with a fruitiness enhanced by a remarkable depth.
Tasting Notes
The 2017 is the classic blend of sources for this cuvée, with fruit from a range of exposures and soil types. The lion’s share comes from the outstanding Aux Forneaux terroir in the north of the village. Then there’s Les Peuillets and 1er Cru Hauts Jarrons in the south, and Ez Connardises in the heart of the village making up the quartet of parcels. The fruit was mostly destemmed (15% whole bunches were applied to the Aux Forneaux parcel) and the wine saw next to no new oak. Two-thirds of the Savigny villages is now raised in foudre. The note below describes the wine well—it’s a lifted, aromatic and super pretty red Burgundy laced with delicate red fruits, rose and jasmine florals and a crunchy, refreshing finish. There’s surprising depth in the context of the level but overall, it’s a super-pure, pretty and floral wine.
