Bourgogne Aligoté Antichtone Benoit Ente 2022

Lot presentation

Bourgogne Aligoté Antichtone Benoit Ente 2022

The wine

Benoît Ente is a household name in Burgundy. His white Burgundy is crafted from Aligoté grapes grown in the prestigious Puligny appellation. This grape variety, less well known than Chardonnay, draws all its letters of nobility from this terroir. The environmentally friendly viticulture practised by the estate encourages the vines to draw the nutrients they need to flourish from a perfectly drained soil rich in brown clay. The limestone soil there is ideal for producing freshness. Yields are controlled by short pruning to obtain concentrated grapes.
In the cellar, the grapes are slowly pressed and the wine matures for a year and a half in Austrian Stockinger oak barrels.
This is a Burgundy Aligoté bursting with character that stands out from the crowd. The pale yellow colour with pale green hues reveals a rich bouquet. Floral and herbaceous aromas are wrapped in fruity touches of apple, pear and pomelo. On the palate, a slight contrast, with a touch of roundness and succulence, is balanced by a lively salinity and minerality. This wine will easily keep for ten years or so and will not fail to surprise you.

You will already be familiar with Arnaud Ente, an iconic figure of the Meursault appellation. Benoit Ente is his brother, and is blessed with the same talents of vigneron and winemaker. In 1997, Benoit and Arnaud Ente each inherited three hectares of vines from their grandfather. After buying new parcels in 2014, Benoit Ente expanded his domain which now covers six hectares. It is farmed sustainably, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligoté. The soils are looked after without chemical fertilisers or weedkillers. Harvests are manual and small cases are used to transport the grapes, so that the grapes don't get crushed on their way back to the winery. Vinifications are spread over the course of 18 months, and élevage – in vats and barrels – lasts one year.