PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: BENJAMIN LEROUX 🇫🇷🍷🍇

In 2007, he founded his own domaine and négoce.

With eight hectares, Ben farms just under a third of his production. Though he worked organically and biodynamically from the beginning, it took him several years to apply for organic certification, which came in 2016. “It’s no secret that when you purchase or rent vineyards they are often not in great shape. The first two years, nothing grows,” he says. And while the recovery moves fast after that, he points out that at least five or six years are necessary to see a significant conversion when transitioning a vineyard from conventional farming, even though the certification process only takes three years.

Despite growing his domaine and negociant business from scratch, today he vinifies almost 30 hectares from a wide range of appellations, nine of which are domaine holdings that are farmed organically and biodynamically. His range spans the Côte from Chassagne-Montrachet to Gevrey-Chambertin, and includes all levels in Burgundy’s hierarchy. He believes small is beautiful, with attention to detail, knowing every inch of land and almost every vine and has made a reputation of prioritizing interesting parcels over how famous the appellation might be. This approach has led him to rediscover several unknown excellent terroirs which has become a hallmark of his own production.