Based out of Burgundy's famed Beaune, Benjamin Leroux began as a negociant business in 2007, holding 8 hectares of land across 50 appellations. Though he is still under 50, Benjamin Leroux has over 35 years of winemaking experience, beginning his career as a prodigy at only 15. After internships with Pascal Marchand and at the government agency ITV, Leroux carried extensive wine knowledge to become the manager of Comte Armand at only 24. Prior to this, Leroux worked at Domain Druhin in Oregon, Domaine Jadot in Burgundy, Chateau Cos d'Estournel in Bordeaux, and a small, start-up winery in New Zealand.
By working with sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon, Leroux gained a plethora of experience with different varietals and terroirs. As such, he believes in customization for the vinification processes at different vineyards, opting to study the unique terroirs of each site rather than imposing a "one-size-fits-all" approach.
Bourgogne Benjamin Leroux
Domaine Benjamin Leroux owns land in village-level, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru vineyards, with exceptional holdings including Clos de Vougeot and Clos Saint Denis. Growing only pinot noir and chardonnay across each plot, Benjamin Leroux has a unique vinification process for each plot, making it difficult to uniformly describe their system. They do, however, tend to stick to the same methods across red and white wines. The white wines are typically fermented with ambient yeast before aging for 12-22 months in up to 30% new French oak, then undergoing an additional 4-6 months aging process in tanks. As for the red wines, the bottles undergo a post-fermentation maceration, age in foudres or barrels, and are then blended in a tank before bottling.
"Leroux emphasizes that he wants to keep his operation small and focus on terroirs that he finds 'interesting or under appreciated.'" — Allen Meadows, Burghound
In the vineyard, Benjamin Leroux wine is typically harvested with organic and biodynamic methods, gaining an organic certification in 2016. Benjamin has always preferred to use organic methods, but hated the "trendiness" around the term and the strict rules involved in gaining a certification. Rather, he is inspired by organic methods from all across the globe, taking methods from Chile to Germany, and even in Burgundy itself.
Benjamin Leroux Pinot Noir
Possibly the estate's finest bottles are the Grand Cru pinot noirs, which are consistently highly rated by Burghound's Allen Meadows. The Echezeaux and Clos St. Denis wines have especially gained much notoriety in recent times, becoming hot collectors' items and a favorite go-to wine of Burgundy lovers. Each wine possesses a refinement, balance, and complexity unique to Leroux's style. Discerning collectors should grab their hands on a bottle before prices increase.
