# Domaine Benoît Ente Puligny-Montrachet (2023)

- **Producer:** Domaine Benoît Ente
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €180
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, grapefruit, apple, pear, peach, blossom, butter, toast, vanilla, biscuit, almond, honey

## About this wine

Domaine Benoît Ente was established in 1997 by Benoît Ente, the younger brother of Meursault's legendary cult winemaker Arnaud Ente. Based in Puligny-Montrachet, Benoît has carved out his own stellar reputation for producing highly precise, mineral-driven, and crystalline white Burgundies. His viticultural philosophy centers on organic farming and early harvesting to preserve maximum freshness and acidity. The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Villages is a masterfully assembled cuvée sourced from seven distinct, tiny parcels across the appellation, featuring old vines with an average age of 50 years.

## Interesting facts

- Benoît Ente is the younger brother of Meursault's legendary cult winemaker, Arnaud Ente.
- The back label of this bottle displays the exact production run of the vintage: precisely 7,034 bottles.
- The blend includes grapes from vines planted as far back as 1943, averaging 50 years of age.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and intense mineral tension of this Puligny-Montrachet effortlessly cut through rich, buttery sauces and the natural sweetness of premium shellfish. Meanwhile, its medium body and subtle oak integration complement delicate white meats and earthy mushrooms without overpowering their nuanced flavors.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process is characterized by meticulous, low-intervention techniques. Grapes are hand-harvested in small crates and undergo a slow, gentle whole-cluster pressing lasting over three hours. Fermentation is carried out using only native yeasts. The wine is aged for a total of 18 months: the first 12 months are spent in a combination of French oak barrels of varying sizes and Stockinger foudres with minimal new oak to preserve purity. The final 6 months of aging take place in stainless steel vats on fine lees to tighten the wine's structure and lock in its signature tension before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.