2021 Benjamin Leroux Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens Hauts

“Frosted, from the upper part. Half whole bunch vinification. Attractive perfume, not a powerful Rugiens judging from the bouquet, though showing more weight of bright red fruit with a darker edge present at the front of the palate, white pepper and spice behind. From its graceful start, this Pommard Rugiens fills the mouth, with a long fine aftertaste.” 91-94 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy

Natural cork. Notwithstanding the Clos des Epeneaux, Leroux has always said that if there was one 1er Cru that would tempt him back to Pommard it would be Les Rugiens. A new long-term contract with the same owner as the Volnay Caillerets brought Leroux back to his old stomping ground in 2017 and so, once again, he is working with the same iron-rich red clay soils that he so famously did at Comte Armand.
These vines—0.6-hectares covering three small parcels of 25- to 90-year-old vines—lie at the foot of Les Rugiens-Hauts, the part of the vineyard that is considered by many (Leroux included) to produce Pommard’s greatest wines. Again, only the youngest fruit was de-stemmed, leaving half the fruit as whole berries. Rugiens is “the kind of Pommard I love,” says Leroux. And so do we!