Benjamin Leroux, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy
Benjamin Leroux, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy
An introduction to Benjamin Leroux, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy
The Clos-Saint-Denis Grand Cru cuvée by Benjamin Leroux is one of the stars of his portfolio. This comes from a tiny 0.15-hectare strip of Pinot Noir vines located at the very centre of the Clos, benefiting from the site’s south-easterly aspect and good sun exposure. The Leroux bottling showcases the terroir at its best, with ripe fruit notes of griotte cherry and wild strawberry on the nose and spice and earth hints on the palate. The tannic firmness so typical of the appellation lends the wine a real presence but is tempered by an early-mid picking date and considerate vinification.
Performance
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Understanding Benjamin Leroux, Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy
Benjamin Leroux’s vines in the Clos Saint-Denis vineyard were planted in 1962, and the old vine character is discernible in the concentration and focus of the cuvee. The grapes for this wine are hand-picked and mostly destemmed prior to fermentation with native yeasts in French oak vats. A mixture of remontage and pigeage is conducted to aid phenolic extraction. Following light pressing, the wine is racked and matured in French oak barrels (approximately 50% new oak) for 18 months prior to bottling. The result is headily perfumed, mouth-filling, and sensuous, with aging potential spanning several decades. This is Grand Cru Pinot Noir at its most sophisticated.