Benoit Ente Bourgogne Aligote 2016
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While Benoit has been making wine since the late 80s, it wasn’t until 1997 that he was able to acquire his own vineyards. He inherited less than 4 hectares almost exclusively in Puligny-Montrachet, as well as small plots in Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault.
At the outset, Benoit began making wines that focused on richness, power, and weight by using a higher percentage of new oak and frequent battonage to give density. Like many passionate, young vingnerons, he wanted to make a statement. With maturity however comes a greater perspective and following the 2004 harvest, Benoit has steadily evolved to the point where today, he is making wines of incredible purity and balance. Benoit’s wines are precise and focused with a tension to them that is not unlike a coiled spring waiting to unfurl. On the palate, his wines do just that and the tightly knit structure detected on the nose is revealed in layers of complexity.
Not surprisingly, Benoit no longer employs the higher percentage of new oak on his wines, nor does he stir the lees like before, preferring to do as little as possible in fact in the winery. He likes acidity in his wines feeling that the acidity is the backbone that gives the wines freshness as well as longevity in the cellar. Often times, Benoit prefers to pick on the earlier side to preserve this freshness and acidity he seeks, but it is certainly not at the expense of ripeness as his wines are gifted at expressing each individual terroir. He has moved to a longer elevage of 18 months and continues to reduce the amount of new wood in the cellar. Today less than 30% is the norm here.
Benoit boasts an impressive lineup of vineyard holdings. In Chassagne-Montrachet he has a tiny parcel in Houilleres, a well situated villages vineyard on the border with Puligny-Montrachet, while in Puligny-Montrachet, he has an impressive array of vines from villages to the 1er Crus of Sous le Puits, Truffieres, and Folatieres.
A native but unique white grape to Burgundy, Aligoté is a light bodied white that often ends up unfairly lost in Chardonnay’s shadow. In Côte Chalonnaise, in a quaint village named Bouzeron, just south of the Côte de Beaune, Aligoté has its very own appellation where yields are limited in order to enhance flavors, acidity and overall quality. Somm Secret—Curiously, the famous producer, Domaine Ponsot, bottles a 100% Aligoté from its Premier Cru in Morey-Ste-Denis, Les Monts Luisants, made from Aligoté vines planted in 1911.
Dive into the holiday season with great value French wines from Bourgogne! If you don’t know the term, Bourgogne is the locals’ preferred word for Burgundy to highlight its winemaking heritage and culture. This prestigious wine region is home to lesser-known yet expressive Village appellations, such as Mercurey and Saint Bris. Whether it’s a dinner with friends, a family gathering, or a gift for the wine buff in your life, Bourgogne, or Burgundy wine, is perfect for any end-of-the-year occasion. Shop Burgundy wines today!
A legendary wine region setting the benchmark for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay worldwide, Burgundy is a perennial favorite of many wine lovers. While the concept of ‘terroir’ reigns supreme here—soil type, elevation and angle of each slope—this is a region firmly rooted in tradition. Because of the Napoleonic Code requiring equal distribution of property and land among all heirs, vineyard ownership in Burgundy is extremely fragmented, with some growers responsible for just one or two rows of vines. This system has led to the predominance of the "negociant"—a merchant who purchases fruit from many different growers to vinify and bottle together.
Burgundy’s cool, continental climate and Jurassic limestone soils are perfect for the production of elegant, savory and mineral-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with plenty of acidity. Vintage variation is of particular importance for Burgundy wine, as weather conditions can be variable and unpredictable. In some years spring frost and hail must be overcome.
The Côte d’Or, a long and narrow escarpment, forms the heart of the region, split into the Côte de Nuits to the north and the Côte de Beaune to the south. The former is home to many of the world’s finest Pinot Noir wines, while Chardonnay plays a much more prominent role in the latter, though outstanding red and white Burgundy wines are produced throughout. Other key appellations include the Côte Chalonnaise, home to great value Pinot Noir and sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne. The Mâconnais produces soft and round, value-driven Chardonnay while Chablis, the northernmost region of Burgundy, is a paradise for any lover of bright, acid-driven and often age-worthy versions of the grape.