2021 Benjamin Leroux Savigny lès Beaune

Screwcap. The lion’s share of this vintage comes from the outstanding Aux Fourneaux lieu-dit in the north of the village. Leroux works with lots of Pinot Fin here (a high-quality, low-yielding cultivar of Pinot Noir); vines that give low yields and great concentration. Les Conardises also contributed this year, and both parcels were fully destemmed. The wine was matured in 600-litre barrels.

In terms of winemaking, this has been one of the most dynamic cellars on the Côte for fifteen years. Leroux works with some 50 appellations, and every wine has its own bespoke treatment according to the conditions of each vintage. This makes it difficult—and sometimes misleading—to generalise about the winemaking. We can say that the cellar is using more and more 600-litre, 1200-litre, and even larger casks for the whites; and more 450-litre to 600-litre barrels for the reds. It is also becoming moot to talk of new oak, of which so little is now used (especially for the whites). Likewise, to generalise about Leroux’s winemaking decisions, such as using whole bunches, is like trying to hit a moving target: in any given year, Leroux works with between 0% and 90%! Since 2018, Leroux has used a cold room to preserve bunches overnight, at under 13°C, resulting in a cool, slow start to fermentation.

Every year this thoughtful and precise grower keeps hitting a higher bar, continually adapting to each vintage and the ever-changing climate. He remains one of the most talented and learned winegrowers in Burgundy, and although he can release as many as fifty different wines in any given year, they are all at an astonishingly high standard. Indeed, don’t be misled by the number of wines he offers. His smallest parcel is 0.06 hectares, and many of his sites are not much bigger: most wines are produced in the one-to-five-barrel range.