Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge 2010

Description

“You may remember that when I asked Allen Meadows, aka Burghound, on this video who he thought might be a natural heir to the late great Henri Jayer of Burgundy, one of the two people he cited was young Benjamin Leroux of Domaine Comte Armand.” Jancis Robinson, Jan 2009, www.jancisrobinson.com
“Leroux’s passion, ambition and sheer talent have already resulted in a number of stunning, beautiful wines, but my sense is that the best is yet to come.” Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 194 May 2011
“Benjamin Leroux is quiet and unassuming, but his wines more than speak for themselves. I tasted a wide range of 2010s, but was only able to revisit a handful of 2009’s as production is just a barrel or two for most wines. These are some of the most interesting wines being made in Burgundy today.” Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate
As the Jancis Robinson/Burghound quote above makes clear, Leroux is considered one of the most gifted and knowledgeable wine growers in the whole Cote d’Or. You just have to ask any serious Bourgogne producer about Leroux to understand the respect he has garnered amongst his colleagues in the region. He was always considered a prodigy, studying at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune from the age of 13 and taking the reins at the esteemed Domaine Comte Armand when he was only 26. Leroux’s success with the Domaine’s wines over the last decade has well justified the decision to appoint such a young man to run the show. He will continue to manage Comte Armand despite now having his own range of wines (another sign of how well respected he is). The range is fine tuned – several grand cru wines are now in barrel for example – and new vineyard acquisitions will add to the offering, however Leroux is determined only to work with vineyards that have been well managed and produce outstanding fruit, regardless of whether or not they have famous names. He actually champions lesser known regions in Burgundy which is refreshing. This makes sense, Leroux’s knowledge of Burgundy is encyclopedic and producers like him are waking up the wine world to the fact that the reputation of many Cote d’Or vineyards has as much to do with the producers who work them than any intrinsic qualities of the sites themselves.

“Once again Leroux’s amuse-bouche red is a blend of declassified Santenay Villages and 1er cru la Comme. Leroux declassifies these wines because otherwise he would have no Bourgogne to sell! The origin of the wines and the startling quality, make it an absolute steal, punching well above its generic level. Fleshy and deep with dark cherry and floral-scented fruit along with powdery tannins that show that the wine will clearly age. Wonderful depth and character, it is a ripe, powerful, Côte de Beaune rouge and simply too good for the Bourgogne appellation it misleadingly wears on its label. “The 2010 Bourgogne Rouge (from tank) is a fleshy, supple wine laced with floral red fruits, best suited for drinking over the next few years. Leroux’s Bourgogne is made from declassified fruit from the Santenay 1er Cru La Comme and a 1er Cru fruit from St. Aubin.” (87-88) points, Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #199
RRP $58