Benjamin Leroux Meursault 1er Cru 'Charmes Dessus' 2018

Diam. Following the 2017 harvest, Leroux managed something of a coup when he won a hard-fought tender and was able to add to his Estate holdings in Meursault. While the purchase included a small selection of village plots (including Clos du Village) the real prizes were the well-sited parcels in Volany Santenots (Les Plures), Meursault-Blagny and a slice of Charmes, lying directly beneath Perrières. It’s a sliver of vines in the upper (dessus) portion of the vineyard, a section that has been singled out officially since the 1830s as being the finest part. The slope here is considerably steeper and the soil lighter and stonier than the lower Charmes-dessous.

Leroux’s vines—planted in the 1970s—sit a stone’s throw from the Puligny border under the Clos des Perrières: this is one of Meursault’s most favored terroirs. As with the majority of Leroux’s 1er Cru whites, this was aged with just 20% new oak. It’s a wine of great intensity, texture and drive. It will drink well young, but also with 5-10 years of bottle age.

“More lemon than lime. The bouquet is a little bit hidden but there is a wealth of classic, ripe white fruit on the palate, with a very good texture, fruit and oak woven in well together. A little youthful bitterness behind, more elevage to come and is needed.” 91-94 points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy