Wine Advisor
Marie et Pierre Benetiere, Cote Rotie Cordeloux 2011
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Opaque ruby. The nose displays fresh blackberry and bitter cherry scents, along with notes of candied flowers, star anise and cured meat. Nervy and precise on entry, then fleshier in the middle, offering juicy dark berry and cherry pit flavors and a touch of licorice. The nicely focused finish is framed by silky, even tannins.
About the Producer
The Domaine Marie et Pierre Benetière was established when they replanted vines on a beautiful plot of 1.5 hectares south of the AOC Côte Rôtie, the lieu-dit "Les Cordeloux". The plot faces southeast, for great sunshine exposure. Pierre recalls his past: “My friends said it was an impossible task, to get the land cleared and planted for vines, then to make the wine...that got me going.” As a result, he didn’t turn a profit for roughly 15 years while his wife worked to help them stay afloat. Thereafter, Domaine Marie et Pierre Benetière acquired a small plot of old vines of "Côte Brune", in the heart of the celebrated vines of the Turque of Guigal. Finally, Marie et Pierre Benetière managed to purchase a few small plots of Condrieu, found on steep slopes that overlook the Rhône River, making mechanical harvesting impossible and, in kind, they use no herbicides. Marie et Pierre Benetière has worked organically since 2003, without seeking any certification. In the cellar, they use whole bunches and slow fermentations with indigenous yeasts before 18 to 22 months of elevage (maturation) and a maximum of 15 to 20% new oak. Depending on the generosity of the vintage, the domaine Marie et Pierre Benetière produces just 3 to 4 wines, such as the single barrel "Dolium", produced only in the best years. These old vines are situated in the emblematic vineyard of Guigal, "La Turque" and produce a distinguished nectar that is next to impossible to find. The major quality of this microscopic Domaine, outside of living up to the adage "Small is beautiful", is that they produce particularly elegant wines of a rare purity. Pierre’s philosophy for viticulture is simple: “The less I go in the vineyard, the better for me.” He has practiced organic farming for 15 years now and has always hand harvested—the steep terrain requires it. In the winery, grapes are left on their stems, and fermentation is triggered with natural yeasts.
