2009 Arnaud Ente Meursault Goutte d'Or

Domaine Arnaud Ente is a 12-acre domain founded by Arnaud Ente in 1992. Based in Meursault, Burgundy, the domaine has parcels in the Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Bourgogne appellations. The estate makes only about 1,250 cases of wine annually but is widely admired for its premier cru Chardonnays. Clive Coates has described winemaker Arnaud Ente as “one of the best growers to come to the fore in the last decade.” Robert M. Parker Jr. has called the domaine’s wines “extraordinary” and notes that although Ente has only been producing wines under his own name since 1994, the domaine “is well on its way to becoming a household name.”

Les Gouttes d’Or is a 13.2 acre Premier Cru vineyard in Meursault, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. Its name translates to “drops of gold,” and many wine collectors believe the vineyard produces wines that live up to that name. Located high on a slope, it is about the same elevation as the best parcels of Les Perrieres and Les Charmes. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “Les Gouttes d’Or “is classic Meursault, with a flamboyant, nutty, obviously rich, plump bouquet, and a super abundance of fruit.”

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.