2022 Cellier Saint Benoit Arbois Pupillin Courbes Raies Pinot Noir

There’s something quietly thrilling about the wines of Cellier Saint Benoit. Based in Arbois Pupillin, Benjamin Benoit’s domaine is still young by any standard, yet the clarity and character of his wines place them firmly among the Jura’s most compelling new voices. After time spent with Charles Lachaux, Amélie Berthaut, and Nicolas Faure in Burgundy, Benoit returned home earlier than planned in 2019 following the sudden passing of his father. That year marked his first vintage, and by 2020, he had full control of the domaine — bringing with him a clear and focused vision rooted in both tradition and precision.

Rather than blending parcels, Benoit vinifies and bottles his lieux-dits separately, giving each site its own voice. The 6.25 hectares of vines — planted to Chardonnay, Savagnin, Ploussard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir — are farmed with care, and the cellar work is firmly low-intervention. Inspired by the techniques of Pierre Overnoy, Benoit works with minimal inputs: careful destemming of Ploussard by hand, whole-cluster ferments for Trousseau and Pinot Noir, gentle pressing of whole bunches for the whites, and aging in neutral oak. The use of sulphur is minimal, and in some cuvées, absent altogether. The result is a suite of wines that feel clear-eyed and precise, yet still vibrant and soulful — wines that make you stop and pay attention.

They’re not inexpensive, but they are important. As the Jura continues to evolve and mature, Benoit’s wines feel like a glimpse of where things are headed, a signpost for the future of Arbois Pupillin, honouring the region’s heritage but elevated by a new generation’s clarity of purpose.

Sourced from 0.5 ha of Pinot Noir planted on the fossil-rich calcaire à gryphées soils of the Courbes Raies vineyard in Pupillin. The site is west-facing, and the vines—planted by Benjamin Benoit’s father and grandfather—range from the mid-1980s back to approximately 1959. The fruit is vinified as 100% whole bunches in large Grenier tronconic vats, then aged in a mix of 228-litre barrels and 600-litre demi-muids. The site, soils, and older vine material contribute to a structured and mineral style of Jura Pinot Noir, shaped by Burgundian influences in both viticulture and élevage.

Other Reviews....
The 2022 Pinot Noir Arbois Pupillin Courbes Raies unwinds with a distinctively floral perfume as rose petal and violets rise from the glass. Ripe red cherry and spicy nuances add more layers. Medium-bodied and polished, the juicy 2022 delights the taster with uplifting freshness. Round and complete, it walks off the stage with an elegant finish. Drink 2024-2032.
93 points
Nicolas Greinacher - Vinous