Benjamin Leroux, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Abbaye de Morgeot, Burgundy

An introduction to Benjamin Leroux, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Abbaye de Morgeot, Burgundy

Benjamin Leroux’s Abbaye de Morgeot Premier Cru is sourced from a 0.5-hectare plot of Chardonnay vines in the Premier Cru vineyard of Abbaye de Morgeot, just to the south of the village of Chassagne-Montrachet. The easterly exposure of the climat and the clay-dominant soil produces wines of both ripeness and freshness. This is true of Leroux’s cuvée, showing fullness on the palate that is a hallmark of this clay-based terroir, but tempered by a long, mineral finish.

Performance

Understanding Benjamin Leroux, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Abbaye de Morgeot, Burgundy

Benjamin Leroux’s plot of Chardonnay vines in the Abbaye de Morgeot vineyard were planted in 1965, and the old vines coupled with green harvesting produce grapes of good phenolic intensity. The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed to large neutral French oak barrels (300L compared to the standard 225L common in Burgundy) where fermentation occurs with indigenous yeast. Subsequent élevage is conducted for 18 months prior to bottling under DIAM cork with minimal filtration. The wine shows a good balance between fruit and oak, with a crisp acidity and broad mid-palate. This is a classic example of Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet.

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