Tasted in Beaune with Benjamin Leroux, 05 December 2023.
Domaine Benjamin Leroux
5 Rue Colbert
21200 Beaune
Tel: +33 3 80 22 71 06
www.benjamin-leroux.com
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Yes, it’s my fault, I lost touch with Benjamin over the corona period – but I’m very happy that he’s back!
Benjamin on 2023:
“Yes, I’m very happy – we had to work, green harvesting, making sure we that didn’t have too many grapes – picking on the right date and of course with an important triage. Without triage it would have been complicated – and it took time – but I could hardly be happier with the wines and in both colours. I see the vintage a bit like 1999 in some ways – the possibility to make some great wine – but very easy to produce too much fruit too…”
Benjamin on 2022:
“The domaine vines are mainly around Meursault – so we had some hail – so it’s certainly a lower yield than in 2023…”
The wines…
A super range of wines, produced in quite a classic style in 2022 – Benjamin also has a number of wines that would be worth a special search to find.
None of the reds were bottled:
Mainly from the Côte de Beaune – Volnay/Pommard but a little Monthelie and from a smaller tranche of vines in the commune of Vosne.
Hmm – sweet but beautifully textured, slightly generous – -first class Brourgogne – bravo – beautifully long too!
2022 Volnay 1er Caillerets
Fine, open freshness – that’s a lovely. More direct, clearly more structure too. Complex, juicily melting with clean, focused flavour. Taut, structured – from the wc – beautifully finishing. Simply an excellent VC – keep it 2-3 years before attacking!
Hmm, a very pretty and open clarity of red fruit aroma. Ultra juicy – open, fluid, and clearly great wine, framed with a tiny but grainless tannin. Bravo!
2022 Vosne-Romanée
A deeper nose – narrower too – darker fruit but with no obvious reduction – air brings some very fine floral notes. Broad, actually a nicely shaped/structured wine. With a zinging intensity of finishing flavour – all is in place – it’s excellent wine – just wait 2 years!
2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Dessus des Malconsorts
This vineyard was uprated to 1er Cru at the same time that La Grand Rue became grand cru
A broader, more airy width of aroma – complex but not so forward. Another wine of fine shape in the mouth. And perfectly judged structure – it’s a beauty.
‘Old vines, always small grapes. People say Vosne side but it hasn’t much to do with Vosne – it’s Nuits – but with elegance.’ This and the last are almost next to each other.
More open and vibrant red fruit – very inviting. Direct, cool – there’s structure – slowly growing tannin that brings a texture of velour. Creamy depth of fruit flavour in the finish but not overtly resembling the barrels. Long – another ultra classy wine- practically a great Boudots
2022 Griotte-Chambertin
Two barrels since 2015…
More vertically styled nose – deep and silky, glossy fruit. Really open, and super-long finishing – more mineral style. For keeping more than some other producers versions but completely delicious.
2022 Mazis-Chambertin
A mix of Bas and Hautes.
Much higher toned but with impact – some attack of florals today – this is not quite settled. Great, mouth-filling shape – fluid – that’s going to be a beauty once more – a great range here chez Benjamin
Les Whites
2022 Bourgogne
This bottled – the largest part from around Meursault. Mainly foudres for elevage but testing a few wineglobes too
Airy, vibrant, quite zesty aromatics. This feels good in the mouth, slowly melting more flavour over the palate and finishing with a nice zesty, slightly saline accent.
More open and concentrated width of aroma. Direct, clean energy – that’s really beautiful – Cistercian without the whip! A finish that radiates wider – simply super St.Romain!
2022 Meursault
Mainly from lower slopes including some next to Santenots
More depth but still with a crystalline clarity of fruit aroma. A roundness, generosity almost, that is very Meursault flavoured and beautifully layered – if the conversation at your table is boring, feel free to contemplate this – it’s beautiful – and finishing with a small chalky texture!
2022 Meursault Vireuils
Here the limestone
Hmm – a big, broad and energetic nose – not quite ready for the big time but impressively shaped. Hmm, that’s rounder and more generous than I’m expecting for Vireuils, but the middle and finishing flavours – slightly creamy – have a core of juicy fruit.
All the following not yet bottled:
2022 Meursault 1er La Piece Sous le Bois
Bottling planned for February… Labelled Blagny-Montrachet in the 1920s…
Fine, large-scale, aromatics – there’s both freshness and complexity with a slightly ripe citrus below the surface. Hmm – that’s very fine over the palate – ethereal, melting, almost fluid in style yet gaining in concentration. Finishing with a small grain of tannin and delicious flavour. Yum!
Fresh, floral pure – such an invitation – a great nose. A little vibration in the depth that suggests some reduction – but here is concentration, silken texture. Potentially a great bottle here.
2022 Meursault 1er Charmes Dessus
Waxy, citrus width – slowly growing in depth too. Hmm, that’s beautiful over the palate – depth, width and very classy texture – almost chalky too. There’s a concentration here that’s very high but beautifully balanced by the energy and even minerality of this wine- It’s excellent – but be patient for a couple of years! Super-impressively long…
From Chassagne, the upper part of the vines next to 1er Vide-Bourse and Montrachet, between Vougeraie and the Hospices, and below DRC’s Montrachet. This is now the first harvested – it used to be the last harvested.
Such a powerful yet balanced nose the core is immense with plenty of honied complexity and slowly growing florals. Hmm – fluid again, despite overt concentration – there’s a growing intensity here. A flavour that adheres to the palate. Grand vin – but wait 5 years!
2022 Bourgogne Aligoté
‘Why not taste it last!?’
Open, pretty and pure. Less sweetness for sure – a small grain of tannin. Hmm – that is broad and growing more incisive – that’s a really fine palate cleanser to easily remove the sucrosity and glycerol of the ‘bigger’ wines before. Super wine.