2017 Benjamin Leroux Beaune Les Cent Vignes

Maison Benjamin Leroux in Beaune was started in 2007 by Benjamin Leroux, one of the most admired young winemakers in Burgundy. Leroux became winemaker and manager at prestigious Domaine Comte Armand starting in 1999, when he was not yet 30, but he wanted his own label. With several investors he started his negociant business by taking over a section of the 19th century Jaboulet-Vercherre winery in Beaune. He owns and leases vineyards, and makes one monopole, Volnay Premier Cru Clos de les Caves. Since Leroux is often working with very small leased parcels, he makes several dozen wines, often ending up with a single barrel of less of particular cuvee. In 2014 he quit his job at Comte Armand. His wines earn compliments from reviewers, including a 2014 Wine Advocate review: “Suffice to say that this is a strong set of wines from a very talented winemaker…whose comprehensive portfolio spans much of Burgundy,(with each wine) translating the leitmotifs of their respective terroirs with style and panache.

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.