Clos Benoit Estate
- This is a micro production that pulls at the heart strings of all those that encounter it. Founded in 1997 by Husband and wife Bonie and Ben Benoit in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe they started with purchased grapes while taking their time to learn their land well enough to plant the vineyards in the best possible fashion. 2017 Was their first release to be made from only estate grown fruit and the plan is to only use estates grown fruit going forward.
- Their southwestern facing vineyard site was planted in 2009 and is located 10 miles up the valley from the Pacific at an elevation of 932 ft in soils of sandy loam.
- Huge fans of the well-known French estate Vieux Telegraph in Chateaunuef du Pape, they planted their 4.5 acre site in the same percentages as Telegraph’s famous la Crau vineyard.
- The small block of Counoise is sourced from the renowned holdings of Chateau Beaucastel in Chateaunuef de Pape and is currently the only vineyard site of Couniose in Mexico.
-The vineyard is farmed organic and wines have less than 35 ppm sulfites added at bottling.
-Wines are fermented on native yeast in open top stainless steel tanks.
-They make just two wines: a white made from Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne and a red made from Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, Mourvedre.
Total production: 4.5 acres under vine, 2 wines, 280 cases
2018 Clos Benoit
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
Another masterpiece by winemaker Veronica Santiago and the team tending to the vineyard at Clos Benoit. This is only the second wine to be made exclusively from this small site which is, as the name suggests enclosed by dry stone wall in the center of Valle de Guadalupe. While paler than the 2018 it is even more expressive on the nose and palate, both of which carry across the velvety elegance for which the estate is becoming known. Here, however, it is Grenache which carries the lion's share of the load coming in at 81% in the final blend and in this vintage accompanied by only Syrah. The sandy soils are the reason behind the lighter color and people looking for finesse an elegance won't mind it’s ruby hue one bit as the wine makes up for in density of expression what it lacks in color saturation.
250 cases made
Drinking window: Upon release - 10 years
Vintage:
2018
Blend:
81% Grenache, 19% Syrah
Producer:
Clos Benoit
Winemaker:
Veronica Santiago - Mexican lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe - 4.5 acre state vineyard with sandy loam soils with vines planted in from 2009 through 2011. Elevation is 925 ft and is near the center of the valley approximately 10 miles inland from the Pacific. Farmed organically.
Winemaking:
Grapes were harvested on the 5th of September, cold stabilized and then pressed and left to ferment on native yeast in open top neutral French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks for 2 weeks. After fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to a number of French and American oak barrels, (mostly neutral) and aged for 12 months before bottling. All wines are held in the bottle for and additional 12 months before release.
Sulfites: 40 ppm
Farming:
Organic, sustainable
Alcohol:
13.7%
