The 2023 Benjamin Leroux Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce Sous le Bois is a captivating Premier Cru Pinot Noir that beautifully expresses the unique terroir of Blagny, one of Burgundy's most distinctive hillside appellations. Crafted by Benjamin Leroux, one of Burgundy's most acclaimed modern vignerons, this limited-production wine combines elegance, precision, and remarkable site transparency.
Located high on the slopes between Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune, Blagny is renowned for producing Pinot Noir of lifted aromatics, vibrant acidity, and exceptional mineral character. The Premier Cru vineyard La Pièce Sous le Bois benefits from limestone-rich soils and a cool, elevated aspect, yielding wines of finesse, energy, and impressive ageing potential.
The 2023 vintage enjoyed a long and even growing season, allowing the fruit to achieve excellent phenolic ripeness while preserving freshness and aromatic purity. Benjamin Leroux's meticulous vineyard management, hand harvesting, and rigorous fruit selection ensure only the finest grapes are used for this highly sought-after Premier Cru.
Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels, with a restrained proportion of new oak, the wine reflects Leroux's philosophy of minimal intervention and precise expression of terroir.
The bouquet is intensely perfumed, offering aromas of wild strawberry, Morello cherry, raspberry, and redcurrant, layered with rose petals, violets, forest floor, crushed stone, sweet spice, and subtle smoky oak. With time in the glass, delicate earthy and mineral nuances emerge, adding further complexity.
The palate is refined, silky, and beautifully structured. Bright red berry fruits are framed by fine-grained tannins, lively natural acidity, and a pronounced limestone-driven minerality. The finish is long, elegant, and persistent, showcasing both the purity of the 2023 vintage and the precision of Benjamin Leroux's winemaking.
Although approachable with decanting, the 2023 La Pièce Sous le Bois possesses the structure and balance to develop beautifully over the next 12–20 years.
Winery: Benjamin Leroux
Region: Blagny Premier Cru, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Vineyard: La Pièce Sous le Bois 1er Cru
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2023
Style: Premier Cru Red Burgundy
Closure: Cork
Food Pairing: Roast duck, pigeon, quail, roast lamb, wild mushroom dishes, veal, and washed-rind or soft-ripened cheeses.
