Due to its small size (at 6.6 hectares it is about one-third of the size of Clos de la Roche) and fragmented ownership, this is one of the Côte d’Or’s least tasted Grand Cru vineyards. For a number of years, Leroux has been making an outstanding example from a 50-plus-year-old parcel of vines, planted in 1962, smack-bang in the original Clos itself (there are, in fact, another three climats or historic lieux-dits—so four in total—grouped together under the Clos Saint-Denis AOC). This comes from the historic vineyard of the same name. It’s a 0.13-hectare parcel that has always been managed organically, and as per last year, the wine was entirely destemmed and aged in one-third new barrels. Leroux always refers to this Grand Cru as “mon chouchou”. In other words, his favourite (year in, year out).
More evident wood stops short of masking the lovely spice and floral elements suffusing the fresh red berry fruit aromas. The supple, round and relatively pliant middle weight flavors possess outstanding complexity on the impressively long finish. This stylish effort is very classy, indeed it's an exercise in subtlety and grace.”
91-94 points, Allen Meadows Burghound.com Issue 75
Fresher, livelier and better balanced than his Clos de la Roche bottling in 2017, Ben Leroux's Clos St-Denis has a delightfully ethereal quality to it. The 30% new wood is still quite assertive, but give this time to integrate in bottle and it will turn into a scented, sappy delight with a core of spicy raspberry and pomegranate fruit.”