Bourgogne Aligoté Macération Athénaïs de Béru 2015 (White)

The Béru vineyard, nestled in the heart of the Chablis region, traces its roots back to the 13th century. The estate includes prestigious parcels in the Chablis and Chablis Premier Cru appellations, including the splendid Clos Béru. Bounded by ancient walls and spanning five hectares, this exceptional plot, solely dedicated to the cultivation of Chardonnay grapes, flourishes in a unique terroir characterised by clay-limestone soil and fossilised oyster shells. Positioned on the southern slope of a hill at an altitude of 300 metres, it benefits from an incredible microclimate. 2005 marked a pivotal moment for Athénais de Béru, previously working in finance, as she made the life-changing decision to embrace her family’s heritage and chose to reclaim her ancestors’ land. Through a fortuitous coincidence or perhaps a twist of fate, the vineyard became available as the tenant who had leased her father’s land retired prematurely, 20 years ahead of schedule, enabling her to take over the property. When she arrived in Chablis, Athénais, fuelled by her passion for fine wines, found herself a complete novice in terms of technical expertise. As a Parisian who had never worked the land, she faced a daunting challenge. Yet, undeterred and armed with insatiable curiosity, she embarked on a journey of experimentation, trial and error, adaptation, and learning from fellow winemakers. She sought guidance from others, undertook internships at different estates. Eventually, through perseverance and guided by both the wisdom of others and her own instincts, she eventually achieved her goals. Well aware of the exceptional terroir she has the privilege to own, Athénais endeavours to elevate its character while preserving its natural expression. To accomplish this, the estate operates without the use of additives. The vines are trained and pruned using the double Guyot method, encouraging natural competition between plants, limiting yields while promoting an ideal distribution of leaf coverage. The vines are meticulously hand-harvested, ensuring the utmost respect for the berries. In the winery, the winemaker uses native yeasts, allowing the grapes to express their singularity, without resorting to any fining or filtration techniques. Sulphur is sparingly used, if at all. To her, the sulphur-free final product represents the rewarding result of diligent work in the vineyard, although she maintains the freedom to intervene in the winemaking process when necessary.

Athénaïs de Béru est une des figures incontournables du vignoble chablisien dont le vignoble remonte ses origines au 13ème siècle. Celle-ci dispose de vignes qui s’étendent au sein des appellations Chablis et Chablis Premier Cru. Elle nous propose toutefois ici un bourgogne blanc réalisé à partir d’aligoté cultivé sur une parcelle du village de Saint-Bris (Yonne). A noter, l’aligoté est un cépage secondaire de la région qui renaît peu à peu de ses cendres. Celui-ci a été cultivé avec soin, selon des principes respectueux de l’environnement qui bannissent toutes formes d’intrants nocifs. En cave, l’idée est respectée avec des vinifications peu interventionnistes qui laissent notamment les levures indigènes enclencher les fermentations. Ici, le vin (réalisé à partir de raisins macérés) a fait l’objet d’un élevage d’un an et demi dans des cuves et dans des pièces bourguignonnes. Il a ensuite été mis en bouteille sans collage ni filtration préalable.
A la tension naturelle de ce type de vin s’ajoute toutefois le caractère prononcé du raisin apporté par la macération. Le fruit et les agrumes sont là et offrent une belle énergie qui s’apprécie volontiers à l’apéritif.

Consult price estimate for: Château de Béru