Benjamin Benoit - Cellier Saint Benoit
Nov 30, 2023
P u p i l l i n | Jura
At the age of 25, Benjamin Benoit has taken over his family domaine in Pupillin in 2020. This happened a bit quicker than anticipated due to his fathers passing in 2019. Thankfully, Benjamin had been working under some of our favorite winemakers in Burgundy. When tasting his wines, these past experiences clearly set him up for success. Charles Lachaux, Nicolas Faure, and Amélie Berthaut- how much have we spoken about the three of them in the past few years? A lot:) Which only made it natural for Benjamin to be our first official import.
When Speaking with Benjamin a few things stood out. First, he isn’t trying to make Nicolas’ gamay or Amelie’s Fixin; he is trying to make site specific wine from his vineyards in Pupillin. He has pretty much revamped the way his father was doing it. Bottling each vineyard and lieux-dit individually and highlighting the individual terroirs of the region; something that has not been done in the region. He has been in the process of moving his viticulture practices to organic and regenerative methods, supporting the growth of natural biodiversity in the vines. With only two vintages under his belt, it is going to take some time forBenjamin to be able to invest in fully transitioning the vineyards. Most of the vineyards are already treated by hand without the use of tractors or hedging. Plowing is very minimal to limit the soil compaction to support microbial life. He has transitioned from curved guyot to keeping his canes flat and straight to give more space between the canopy in order to curve disease pressure. He works all of his vineyards by hand and makes his own fertilizers. Trimming is done very late in July. Each plot has 1.3m between rows and is7000 vines/ha, except Viandris 1938, which is at 1m and plowed by horse. His vineyards look beautiful already, full of organic life with natural cover crops filling in the vines.
Benjamin is currently farming 6.2ha of vines, but only producing 4ha worth of wine due to space in the winery. A new one is under way and will hopefully bring all 6ha to us in bottle by 2022.
Viticulture and Vinification
PLOUSSARD
Fermentation: the grapes are 100% destemmed using a cripple. Intracellular fermentation is started by ambient yeasts in stainless steel vats. The wine sees about 12-16 days of maceration. Gentle pump overs and no punch downs.
Aging takes place in a mix of 80% stainless steel and 20% used barrel for 6 months. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
CHARDONNAY
Fermentation: the grapes are whole cluster pressed in a vertical press. the must if allowed to oxidize slightly before being hit with a small touch of sulfur. 24 hours of settling before being racked for fermentation in 228 and 660L used oak barrels.
Aging takes place in 660L, 228L, and 100L barrels. A small amount of sulfur is added just after malo and at bottling
PINOT NOIR & TROUSSEAU
Fermentation: 100% whole cluster fermentation takes place in stainless steel tank and used 228 and 660L used oak barrels. Maceration is about 12-16 days with punch downs only at the end of fermentation.
Aging starts with 6 months in tank before being transferred to various barrel sizes and ages for 2 months. The wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined.
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Ploussard Côte de Feule
THE VINEYARD Pupillin, Côte de Feule one of the most famous terroirs, Steep South Facing Slope
BEDROCK Iridescent Triassic (grey,green,pink marl)
SOIL The soils are light, very shallow, and stony with lots of limestone angular gravels, rocks and even boulders, many of which are eroded from the calcaire a gryphées
VITICULTURE Traditionally, Ploussard and Trousseau were co-planted here.
VINE AGE Planted in 1961
BOTTLES PRODUCED 1325
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Ploussard La Ronde
THE VINEYARD North on the appellation border or Pupillin, lies below Viandris, moderately steep
BEDROCK Grey marl from the middle Liassic
SOIL Colluvial material from the Bajocian limestone at the top of the slope. More rocky giving a more chalky texture
VINE AGE Planted in 1961
BOTTLES PRODUCED 1285
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Ploussard La Rouge
THE VINEYARD In a small Combe, Moderately Steep, faces Southeast
BEDROCK Iridescent Triassic marls (grey, green, and pink marl)
SOIL Deep reddish brown, water-retentive, heavy clay containing a lot of iron oxide (i.e. La Rouge)
VINE AGE Planted in 1961
BOTTLES PRODUCED 466
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Pinot Noir Courbes Raies
THE VINEYARD Upper slope east of Fonteneille.Flat to moderately steep. West facing
BEDROCK Triassic Limestone, containing gryphaea i.e.“Calcaire à Gryphées” with a narrow band ofgrey marl
SOIL Light clay and sand with good drainage
VITICULTURE- worked by hand to avoid soil compaction
VINE AGE Planted in 1957/1984
BOTTLES PRODUCED 658
2021 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay La Marcette
THE VINEYARD North on the appellation border of Pupillin, lies above La Ronde; moderately steep
BEDROCK Grey marl from the upper Liassic
SOIL Colluvial material from the Bajocian limestone, very little topsoil
VINE AGE Planted in 1966
BOTTLES PRODUCED 2081
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay Viandris Cuvée 1938
THE VINEYARD North on the appellation border of Pupillin, biotype Chardonnay Melon a Queue Rouge.Springs running throughout the vineyard, moderately steep
BEDROCK Grey marl from the middle Liassic
SOIL colluvial material from the Bajocian limestone-top of the slope.
VINE AGE Planted 1937
BOTTLES PRODUCED 402
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay Les Charots
THE VINEYARD Location on the bottom of the slope of Marcette. Younger vines, very steep.
BEDROCK Grey marl from the upper Liassic
SOIL Colluvial material from the Bajocian limestone with various clays on top
VINE AGE Planted in 1986
BOTTLES PRODUCED 590
2020 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Savagnin Naturé Le Grapiot
THE VINEYARD This unique vineyard has a gentle slope with Northwestern exposure. Plowed by horse every other row. Savagnin is planted straight up and down the slope. One barrel is made fully topped up
BEDROCK Grey marl from the middle Liassic
SOIL Colluvial material from the Bajocian limestone at the top of the slope.
VINE AGE About 55 Years Old
BOTTLES PRODUCED 496
NV Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Savagnin Sous Voile
THE VINEYARD This is one of Benjamin's father's wines that he has finished and put into bottle. It is a blend of 3 vintages-2016, 2017 & 2018 with 4 different barrels making up the Assemblage.
A blend of Les Plantees, Le Grapiot, Chambines, and other Savagnin vines.
BOTTLES PRODUCED 1063
