ARNAUD ENTE

Arnaud Ente and his wife Marie-Odile produce some of the most extraordinary wines of the region.
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After time spent working for the famed Coche Dury, Arnaud Ente leased vines from his father-in-law in 1992 and began producing his own wine. Ente’s style has evolved from one of opulence in the 1990s borne of picking the fruit at maximum ripeness to the current style of restraint, freshness and minerality, realised with an earlier picking schedule and changes in the winery. Today the husband and wife team together with two employees manage a portfolio of 4 hectares, which includes Mersault holdings in the clos En L’Ormeau, the lieu-dit Les Petits Charrons and the premier crus of La Goutte d’Or and in Puligny-Montrachet, Les Referts.
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Fastidious work in the vineyard where exceptional attention is paid to each vine has produced a clutch of wines that offer richness and complexity at every level. The estate is managed biodynamically and the wines are released unfined and unfiltered. Vinification and maturation regimes demonstrate a considered approach to the use of wood. Larger, 450L and 600L vessels and some stainless steel are employed with less frequent use of the more traditional barriques and the portion of new wood used for top cuvées has decreased from 35% to 20%.
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In his own words, Ente says “We don't want the artifice of too much wood; we want to maximise the fruit – pure juice!”