About The Producer
Philippe Leclerc butts the mold of the Burgundy winemaker and certainly has created his own path. He forgoes the more conservative uniform blue blazer, shirt and tie, hardly cares about ratings, and is not a promoter. At the age of 13, Philippe left school to work in the vineyard with his father. His family has owned land in Gevrey-Chambertin for over a hundred years so he grew up surrounded by vines. Philippe produced his first vintage in 1979 and has developed a loyal following, justifiably. Philippe Leclerc pulls off magnificent Pinot Noirs in the Côte d’Or.
Terroir & Vineyard Practices:
Les Bon Batons is located in the Côte de Nuits just on the other side of the road of Chambolle-Musigny. It is a small vineyard (less than 2 acres) and is one of the elusive Bourgogne level bottlings allowed a single vineyard name. Only three winemakers lay claim to the fruit of these vines and Philippe Leclerc is one. What makes this vineyard special is the legendary aromatic qualities of the fruit that comes from the vines.
Tasting Notes
With all of the influence of the same soil, same light, same vine positions as Chambolle-Musigny, Leclerc’s Les Bon Batons is not just village level quality- we’re talking 1er Cru quality. With rich, red-fruit flavors, a backbone of acidity, strength, power, tannins- this is French Burgundy after all! We’re talking 100% Pinot Noir, the real deal, collectors run after- at a price you can enjoy today.
Vinification
Philippe crafts his wines that are made to last, in the old way, but with all the benefits of modern know-how. This wine undergoes a cool maceration of about 15 days, followed by 15 days of fermentation, treading the cap by foot 3 times per day. He settles the wine before aging in oak barrels 30-50% new and then the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The result is deep, firm, classic wines with strong tannic backbones.
