Wine Advisor
Arnaud Ente, Meursault Clos des Ambres 2007
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Domaine. Sourced from fifty five-year old vines in En L’Ormeau (Clos des Ambres being the name of this particular cuvee) this has a fragrant nose, if anything a little too floral for me. Chalk dust, Satsuma, talcum and dried apricots and peony. The palate is medium-bodied, very well balanced with good minerality. Citrus fruits, orange peel, a touch of persimmon and vanilla pod. Good definition on the finish. Fine. Drink 2010-2020. Tasted November 2008.
Reviewed by: David Schildknecht
Lime and yellow plum in the nose of Ente's 2007 Meursault Clos des Ambres lead to a palate impression at once austere and adamantly mineral, but also refreshingly bright and saliva-inducing. Toasted almond and sunflower seed along with pungent citrus rind and a hint of smoke are suggested in the bright, treble finish of this wine that some tasters are apt to consider "Meursault Lite" or too lean a cut of its appellation, while others will relish its athletic trimness and energy. I suspect those who gravitate toward this wine will enjoy it for 4-6 years. Arnaud Ente began picking September 2, but although he is nearly always a partisan of early harvest, this one was spread out over nearly two weeks to optimize the aggregation of clarity and sufficient ripeness. That said, high acidity – including a sizeable share of malic acid – remained a common denominator and higher than in 2004 because, in Ente's words, "there was no heat during the summer to burn it off." His malo-lactic fermentations, however, were finished already in mid-winter. Natural alcohol levels were low – predictably, given both the vintage and Ente's strategy and preferences – not exceeding 12.5%, and only the Aliogte was chaptalized. For Ente, vintages without hot summer weather are simply the more interesting and enjoyable, thanks in large part precisely to their higher acidity and lower alcohol. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Pale, green-tinged color. High-pitched aromas of lime skin, flowers and spearmint. Juicy and flavorful, with lovely limey lift and excellent precision. A fruit-driven village wine with a very pure flavor of vineyard peach and a suppleness of texture that comes as a surprise in light of the wine's racy acidity. Really coats the palate and vibrates on the long finish.
About the Producer
Arnaud Ente left Coche Dury, the god of white wine, in 1991 to establish his own winery! After 20 years of hard work, after winning the French Wine of the Year Person of the Year in 2012, the reputation has gradually been competed by lovers of pure and meticulous white wine go! Mr. Michel Bettane has pointed out that in his nearly 30 years of wine evaluation, the only white wine that has given him praise and surprises turned out to be Arnaud Ente's Bourgogne Aligoté, he now thinks this should be a Grand Cru. The vineyard of Chateau Arnoant is less than 5 hectares, not only does it not have any grand crus, but 80% of the plots are Bourgogne and Village. Regardless of the grade of the plot, Arnaud Ente takes care of it in the same way, using the Lutte Raisonnée method, which strictly controls the yield to improve the quality of the grapes. Take 2012 as an example, the average output per hectare of the entire winery is only 1,900 liters, about 2,500 bottles, and some wines even have only 600 liters of output, such as Meursault Clos des Ambres with an average vine age of more than 50 years. This way of strictly controlling production is definitely the only way he can make great wines. Another standout is that the harvest is brought forward in order to obtain finer grapes. There is better, beautiful acidity in the harvested grapes, giving the wine more layer, variety, and complexity.
