2016 Benoit Ente

Benoit Ente is a Burgundy winemaker based in Puligny-Montrachet. He is best known for white wines from that appellation, made from the Chardonnay grape variety. The domaine farms about 20 vineyard parcels covering around 6 hectares (15 acres). Fruit is picked by hand into small baskets to transport intact to the press. In the cellar, individual component wines are stored in tank or in barrel for 12 months. The wines are then blended and matured for another six months. Use of oak and percentage of new oak varies. All wines are bottled without filtration. The portfolio is headed by a pair of Puligny-Montrachet Premiers Crus wines. Fruit for the En La Richarde wine is grown in a lieu-dit within Les Folatières, the largest Premier Cru here. The vines lie close to the Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru on dense limestone. Its counterpart is the Clos de La Truffière cuvée. La Truffière lies nearby on slopes just below the hamlet of Blagny. This former scrubland was a good source of truffles until vines were planted. The Premier Cru is split into two distinct plots, one of which is surrounded by a stone wall. Ente's vines lie in this enclosed site, hence the "Clos" addition to the name. The soil is based on more stratified limestone with pebbly marl. It tends to produce slightly leaner wines than those from Folatières. Generic Puligny-Montrachet is made from seven villages vineyard parcels scattered through the appellation. The oldest was planted in 1943. The fruit for the Chassagne-Montrachet cuvée comes from a plot bordering Puligny-Montrachet which was originally planted to Pinot Noir. It was changed to Chardonnay in 2005. The Chardonnay line up is completed by two Bourgogne Blancs, one a single parcel wine called Golden Jubilee, planted in 1963. A Bourgogne Aligoté is made from parcels within the Puligny-Montrachet zone. A single red Pinot Noir wine is made, the Mathilde Bourgogne Rouge. The domaine's history goes back to 1990, when Benoit and his aunt took over their grandparents' vines. Fruit was sold to a negociant until 1997. Until 2013 Benoit managed about 3ha of vines, but doubled this in 2013 when his aunt retired. He is the younger brother of acclaimed winemaker Arnaud Ente, but has certainly established his own reputation.

Estimate:£55

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