2021 Benjamin Leroux Pommard, Burgundy

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.

His interest in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay then led him to Domaine Drouhin in Oregon in 1994, at a time when just six people worked on the estate’s team. He returned to Burgundy and finished his oenology degree in Dijon, where surprisingly, he was the only regional native in the graduating class. With no family vines to his name, Ben’s appetite for travel became insatiable.

Natural cork. With both this cuvée and the wonderful Rugiens-Hauts, Leroux is back in Pommard with a bang.  Leroux notes the cooler, hillside fruit from Les Vaumuriens brings freshness and balance to the blend. This was crafted from 100% de-stemmed berries and raised with roughly 20% new oak.