Benjamin Leroux Blagny 1er Cru 'La Piece Sous Le Bois' Rouge 2022

Only five hectares of Pinot Noir remain in Blagny, and Ben has nearly one of them. The vines sit above the Dos de l'ne in the lower part of the vineyard. Leroux has long beaten the drum for this limestone-rich, high-altitude terroir for both whites and reds. He is only getting more vocal with the changes in the climate! Leroux first vinified a Pinot from here in 2014 and was so enamoured with the quality that he acquired an estate parcel at the earliest opportunity in 2017. The 2022 is a lovely, ripe, generous wine that has only benefitted from the high-altitude location of its vines.

?Benjamin Leroux is something of a specialist in red Blagny - one of the few still producing this appellation; his results make us want to taste more. The wine has a silky floral note to the bright black cherry fruit aromas, with a saline minerality underpinning the flavours. On the initial attack, the wine is approachable and inviting; with a bit of time in the glass, one sees that there is no lack of tannic grip. In all, this is an exquisite result. 93 points, Charles Curtis MW, Decanter.

?Energetic mid purple, with a pure and high-class bouquet, quite tightly wound here, a darker style of raspberry, a good balance between fruit and acidity. A middleweight, attractive pinot.? 90-93 points, Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy.