The 2014 St Aubin les Murgers des Dents de Chiens 1er Cru has a very refined bouquet, muted at first but soon finding its voice with white flower and hints of lemon curd augmenting the mineral tones. The palate is crisp and fresh with a little fatness on the entry, and then the citric line of acidity cuts in and the finish is beautifully defined with impressive depth. This is another well crafted white from Leroux that will benefit from a year in bottle.

The 2012 St. Aubin 1er Cru Murgers de Dents de Chien (which includes some vines planted by Leroux in 1998) offers bright Granny Smith apples on the vibrant nose – typical of this climat. The palate is taut on the entry with good fruit concentration and acidity, pleasing citrus and spicy notes that marry well with a focused finish that needs to develop a little more complexity. There are just three barrels this year instead of the usual eight to ten. There is one vigneron pleased about the late running of the 2013 harvest more than any other – Benjamin Leroux. “I had my third baby two weeks ago,” he reveals, though he looks in unnaturally fine fettle given the sleepless nights he must surely be enduring. I met Benjamin at his winery located just off the Beaune ring road opposite Albert Bichot and Domaine des Croix. Here he vinifies all his negociant wines that are labeled under his name, and when he is not there, you will probably find him down in Domaine Comte Armand, where he has been responsible for recent vintages. He shares the facility with Nicolas Rossignol, whose wines I tasted directly afterwards. Those wishing to glean more information on Leroux’s background should peruse the article I wrote in the August issue of The Wine Advocate concerning Clos des Epeneaux. He told me that he will bottle his 2012s relatively early this year and, in fact, several were already under cork. Like practically everyone, his crops are depleted in 2012 depending upon the area, up to 80% in the worst affected by frost and hail. The samples that I tasted were either in bottle (wines with single figure scores) or in barrel just after malo-lactic but before racking (given by banded scores). Generally, these constituted an outstanding set of wines, albeit often in miniscule quantities, which is why some of the cuvees are exclusive to certain markets (for example, you will have to go to Hong Kong to find his elusive Clos Saint Denis.) While the grand crus could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with many growers, readers should check out some of his over-performing Village and Premier Crus, particularly the former that were bolstered by the blending of the latter due to depletion of crop. Importer: Becky Wasserman Selection (Le Serbet) and through various US importers (see www.leserbet.com for full list.)

Expressive yellow stone fruits, spices and a light veneer of floral-infused honey emerge from the 2010 St. Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien. Layers of nuanced fruit continue to blossom on the textured, inviting finish. This is a very typical and representative example from one of the top sites in St. Aubin, another village that deserves considerable attention. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. Benjamin Leroux is probably best known to readers for his superb work at Comte Armand, but the wines Leroux crafts under his own micro-negociant label are equally worthy of attention. Readers may also want to check out my video interview with Leroux on our website for more on his views on current vintages. In addition to the wines listed here, I also tasted just about all the 2011 whites. Those wines are shaping up beautifully and in some cases will rival or perhaps even surpass the 2010s for their balance. If the 2010s have a weakness here, it is that they are at times a bit on the heavy side. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Fine Vines, IL; tel. (708) 343-6702, Cavatappi, Washington; tel. (206) 282-5226, Veritas Imports, CA; tel. (310) 205-3800, Verity Wine Partners, New York, NY; tel. (212) 683-8763

The 2009 St. Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chiens is a wonderfully soft, supple white with layers of perfumed fruit framed by subtle hints of oak on the finish. This is a very pretty wine from one of Burgundy’s best appellations for value. Tasted from tank. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017. Benjamin Leroux is one of Burgundy’s most promising young winemakers. Leroux is best known for the wines he makes at Comte Armand, one of the reference-point properties in the Cote de Beaune. Since 2007 Leroux has made wines under his own label using a micro-negociant model that has become increasingly popular in Burgundy. Leroux sources fruit from some of Burgundy’s top sites and bottles an eye-popping 27 different wines, most in 2-3 barrel lots. I also tasted a number of 2009 whites. Leroux goes for a tight, mineral-driven style, with no stirring of the lees and ages the whites in 300-liter barrels. Leroux’s passion, ambition and sheer talent have already resulted in a number of stunning, beautiful wines, but my sense is that the best is yet to come. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, imported by Veritas Imports, Beverly Hills, CA; tel. (310) 205-3803, C’Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191