Benjamin Leroux
Beaune, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy
Benjamin Leroux
Photo Courtesy of Michel Joly
Benjamin Leroux is Burgundian native but didn’t come from a winemaking family. In fact, his parents owned a florist shop in Beaune, which is where he first met Becky Wasserman, as a young child. He was determined to become a vigneron at any early age, and enrolled in lycée viticole in Beaune for agricultural studies at the age of 15. Afterwards, he set out traveling the world gaining experiences in Oregon, Bordeaux and New Zealand. At the age of 24, he was fortunate to land a position as régisseur at Comte Armand in Pommard - who placed their trust in his young talent. He stayed on for fifteen vintages and was given the space to start his own side project in 2007.
Despite growing his domaine and negociant business from scratch, today he vinifies almost 30 hectares from a wide range of appellations, nine of which are domaine holdings that are farmed organically and biodynamically. His range spans the Côte from Chassagne-Montrachet to Gevrey-Chambertin, and includes all levels in Burgundy’s hierarchy. He believes small is beautiful, with attention to detail, knowing every inch of land and almost every vine and has made a reputation of prioritizing interesting parcels over how famous the appellation might be. This approach has led him to rediscover several unknown excellent terroirs which has become a hallmark of his own production.
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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. Thanks to solid supplies and a great sense of aging, he produces very high-level cuvées on a wide range of appellations.
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Ben’s range of appellations is quite remarkable, as his wines spans the Côte from Chassagne-Montrachet to Gevrey-Chambertin, and includes all levels in Burgundy’s hierarchy.
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With eight hectares, Ben is farming just under a third of his production. He has worked organically with some biodynamic preparations from the beginning and became certified in 2016. For grape purchases, vineyard practices are a range from lutte raisonnée, organic and biodynamic. His farming continues to evolve year after year, as he is hedging some of his vineyards high and late, reducing plowing, using cover crops to some extent. He likes to stress that there is no one size fits all approach, what is important to him is to make the appropriate actions for each vineyard, taking into account differences in genetic material, vine age, vine health, soil type, at what stage each vineyard is in its conversion to organics and biodynamics, and climatic responses that vary by season.
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For the whites, uncrushed whole-cluster pressing; ambient yeast fermentation in tank, barrels or foudres; ageing for 12 to 22 months; fining is not systematic; filtration is avoided; bottled since 2019 with Diam corks and 50 to 70ppm total sulfur.
For the reds, he is employing up to 30% whole cluster depending on vintage and cuvée; ambient yeast fermentation; pumpovers in the beginning, punch downs towards the end, 3 to 5 on average; post fermentation maceration; aged in foudres or barrels, maximum 30% new oak; rarely fined or filtered; natural cork closures; 40 to 50ppm sulfur at bottling
Wines
Aligote
Benjamin first made this wine in 2016, using exclusively old Aligoté Doré vines from Bouzeron. The following year he included Aligoté from a newly-acquired vineyard worked by the Leroux team. Today, he farms two parcels half of which are 80 to 100 years old, and the other half around 30 years old. Directly pressed, settling before transfer to older oak barrels for indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months, fined and/or filtered if necessary.
Aligoté Les Grands Champs
From 96-year-old vines on the northern side of Chassagne-Montrachet, located below the lavoir. Aged in 12hl foudre. 2023 is the first vintage.
Bourgogne Blanc
Parcels vary depending on the vintage, but often includes Meursault and Puligny-area vineyards. Directly pressed, light settling before transfer to larger oak foudres and barrels (up to 10% new oak) for indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months, fined and/or filtered if necessary.
Auxey Duresses
From three parcels - Les Hautés, La Macabrée (shallow stony soils), Les Boutonniers (clay soils) planted between 1946 anf 1985. Directly pressed, light settling before transfer to foudres (10% new oak), indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months, fined and/or filtered if necessary.
Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru la Pièce Sous le Bois
The highest 1er Cru in Meursault, this could also be labelled "Meursault 1er Cru Blagny" as it is in the hamlet located between Meursault and Puligny. Planted in 1953, these Chardonnay vines planted in Ben's parcel are on the uppermost part of the hill, while the part below is planted to Pinot Noir (and bottled as Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce Sous le Bois). Whole-cluster pressing, light settling, transfer to barrels (older oak) for indigenous yeast fermentation and aging. Fined and/or filtered only if necessary.
Meursault les Vireuils
High altitude, just below the forest at top of hill, facing east/southeast, terres blanches, meaning "white soils" abundant limestone planted in the mid-1970s. Whole-cluster pressing, light settling before transfer to 300L barrels (15% new oak), indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 18 months, fined and/or filtered only if necessary.
Meursault 1er Cru le Porusot
A 0.30-hectare parcel planted in 1930, situated on the upper part of a steep, east-facing slope where very shallow topsoil and frequent millerandage naturally limit yields and enhance concentration. Farmed organically since 2019, the vineyard expresses a tense, mineral-driven profile shaped by its elevated position and challenging growing conditions. Whole-cluster pressed,light settling before transfer to 300L barrels. The wine is aged for 12 months in barrel to develop texture and complexity while preserving freshness and site expression.
Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières
Mid-slope, facing southeast, poor clay-limestone soils from a .12 ha parcel planted in 1959. Whole-cluster pressing, light settling if necessary, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months in 300L oak barrels (33% new), fined and/or filtered if necessary.
Chassagne Montrachet Blanc 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot
Center of appellation just below the abbey, rich clay soil; from a .50 ha parcel planted in 1969. Whole-cluster pressing, light settling before transfer to 300L barrels (20% new oak), indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 18 months.
Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine-owned vines from a .16 ha parcel planted in 1960. From the Chassagne side of the appellation, just across the road from the DRC's vines. Directly pressed, light settling before transfer to barrel (15% new), indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 16 months, fined, unfiltered.
Bourgogne Rouge
A blend of parcels from the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, Santenay, Beaune, Ladoix, Savigny-lès-Beaune, and/or Fixin, depending on the vintage. 100% de-stemmed, 10 days maceration, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months in older oak barrels, unfined, unfiltered.
Bourgogne Côte d’Or Rouge l’Ouvrée
From La Croix Blanche in Vosne-Romanée, Ben uses vinification “intégrale, or whole cluster fermented in a 500L barrel with no added SO. 2023 is only the second release of this wine. Bottled exclusively in magnum.
Blagny 1er Cru la Pièce Sous le Bois
Straddling Meursault and Puligny, Blagny is a little-known village traditionally dominated by red wines, though many white parcels are labeled under its more famous neighbors. With only about 10% of Blagny’s vineyards planted to Pinot Noir, the appellation has long been overlooked, prompting Benjamin Leroux to expand his holdings here in 2017, convinced of the terroir’s potential for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This high-altitude Meursault 1er Cru site—among the highest in the appellation—offers a rare, Saint-Aubin-like freshness for red wine. The fruit is de-stemmed, macerated for three weeks in tank, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in barrel without new oak, unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity and site expression.
Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
Sourced from an east-facing parcel in the lower part of the vineyard, planted between the 1930s and 1990s and farmed under lutte raisonnée. The Argovian marly-limestone soils with Bathonian clay-limestone contribute finesse and aromatic lift. Purchased fruit is vinified with 45% whole clusters and fermented with ambient yeasts. The wine is aged 7–11 months in barrel, 25–30% new oak, then racked for an additional 7 months of élevage before blending and resting 4–6 months in tank. Bottled without fining or filtration, with modest SO₂ added during aging.
Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens Hauts
2015 was the first vintage of this cuvée from a .60 ha parcel planted in the 1950s. About 30% whole-cluster (younger vines 100% de-stemmed, older vines 50% de-stemmed), indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months in barrel (up to 20% new oak).
Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots
From vines grown on upper slope, rocky soil, particularly small bunches of Pinot Fin typical of neighboring Vosne. About 60% whole-cluster, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged in barrel (⅓ new).
Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Rouge Aux Thorey
0.72 ha parcel high on slope, facing southeast, well-draining calcareous soils with small pebbles and gravel with vines planted in the 1960s. De-stemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation, 15 days maceration in tank. Aged for 18 months in barrel (up to 30% new oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Vosne Romanée
From a 1 ha parcel planted in the early 1980s from lieux-dits Les Violettes, Maizières. ⅔ whole-cluster, indigenous yeast fermentation, 15 days maceration in tank. Aged for 18 months in 300L barrels (25% new oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Clos de Vougeot Petit Maupertuis
Planted right up against the wall of the Clos, these vines are in their own micro-climate: they are more sheltered from wind and precipitation than their neighbors, and they benefit from the heat that radiates off the surface of the wall in the summer. Each year, these old vines produce small clusters with well-balanced maturities. Up to 25% whole-cluster, indigenous yeast fermentation, 3 weeks maceration. Aged for 18 months (50% new oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Amoureuses
This is the smallest cuvée made by the domaine, and they make one barrel each year. Vines planted around 1975. About ⅓ whole-cluster, indigenous yeast fermentation, 15 days maceration in tank. Aged for 18 months in barrel (300L, 1 vintage oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Gevrey-Chambertin
Blends four complementary lieux-dits — Les Seuvrées, La Justice, Billard, and Le Fourneau—totaling 2.0 hectares of vines planted between 1935 and 1995 and farmed under lutte raisonnée since 2019. The varied terroirs, from sandy, well-drained soils to limestone-rich sites, bring both structure and nuance. Vinified with about 10% whole clusters and a 15-day tank maceration using indigenous yeasts, the wine is aged 18 months in barrel (20% new).
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Sourced from an east-facing, mid-slope parcel on marl and clay-limestone soils with pebbles, Les Cazetiers is produced from biodynamically farmed (non-certified) purchased grapes, with vines averaging 50 years of age. Vinified with 50% whole clusters, It is aged first in new oak for 7–11 months, then transferred to used barrels for an additional 7 months, followed by 4–6 months of tank aging before bottling. Unfined and unfiltered, with modest sulfur added during élevage.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle
From organically farmed, purchased fruit, this cuvée comes from vines planted in the 1970s near the bottom of the slope, close to Griottes-Chambertin at the southern edge of the Combe de Lavaux. Vinified with 10–15% whole clusters, the wine undergoes a two-week ambient yeast fermentation and maceration in stainless steel. It is aged 14–17 months in used barrels, without fining or filtration, with sulfur added only as needed.
Clos Saint Denis
From a 0.15 ha parcel planted in 1962 located at the center of the enclosed lieu-dit. Mostly de-stemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 18 months in barrel (up to 50% new oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Bonnes Mares
From a .10 ha parcel planted from 1982 to 1983 from the Chambolle side of Bonnes Mares, limestone-rich terres blanches soil. 100% de-stemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 18 months in barrel (15% new oak), unfined, unfiltered.
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 'Les Mazoyeres'
From a 0.15-hectare parcel planted in the 1960s, this wine comes from the higher-elevation section of Les Mazoyères, bordering Morey-Saint-Denis on clay-limestone soils. Farmed under lutte raisonnée, it is vinified with up to 33% whole clusters and fermented with ambient yeasts. The wine is aged for 18 months in barrel, 30–50% new, with a gradual shift toward larger-format barrels to enhance balance and finesse. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it combines depth with lifted, refined structure.
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Sourced from a south to southeast-facing parcel in the upper part of the vineyard, this Griotte-Chambertin is grown on marl and clay-limestone soils strewn with pebbles. Purchased fruit is vinified with 20% whole clusters and ambient yeast fermentation in tank, with gentle pumpovers and a few punch-downs toward the end. The wine is aged 7–11 months in barrel, then racked for an additional 7 months, followed by 4–6 months of tank blending. Unfined and unfiltered, with modest sulfur added during aging, it offers precision, aromatic intensity, and elegance.
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
This 0.15-hectare parcel of vines planted in 1965 lies mid-slope on shallow, rocky, limestone-rich soils. Farmed sustainably, the wine is vinified with 33% whole clusters and a 15-day maceration, fermenting with ambient yeasts. It is aged for 18 months in barrel, 33% new oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, resulting in a Clos de la Roche of structure, energy, and mineral depth.
Chambertin Grand Cru
Produced from old vines planted in the 1950s and earlier and farmed under lutte raisonnée, this Chambertin is fermented with ambient yeasts and aged for approximately 18 months in barrel. The élevage emphasizes balance and transparency, allowing the power, depth, and noble structure of this iconic Grand Cru terroir to speak with clarity and restraint.