The village of Volnay produces some of the most gorgeously perfumed reds not only in Burgundy but the world. While Volnay is home to 30 Premier Crus, there is near-universal agreement that five ancient vineyards—“Champans,” “Taillepieds,” “Caillerets,” “Clos des Chênes,” and “Santenots”—produce the village’s top wines. These are Volnay’s unofficial, yet undisputed, “Grand Crus.” If one seeks the ultimate detail, finesse, and intoxicating Pinot Noir aromatics in a village revered for such traits, Domaine de Montille is one of the select few names you must look for.
This 2016 “En Champans” highlights their mastery of all-natural vineyard practices (they are certified organic and biodynamic) and generations of supreme Burgundian craftsmanship. If you’ve been searching for an immense cellar-worthy red with celestial levels of aromatics and flavor, today’s Premier Cru Volnay is your final destination. Just seeing ‘Domaine de Montille’ on a label sends a jolt of excitement through connoisseurs and when “En Champans” follows, it’s all-out euphoria. For all intents and purposes, we consider this one of Burgundy’s elite wines, and if allowed to mature for several years, it will outperform a number of true-blue Grand Crus—seriously!
Domaine de Montille, headquartered in the Côte de Beaune village of Volnay, was long under the command of the late Hubert de Montille, who took over his family’s estate in 1947 at just 17 years old. He was one of the old lions of Burgundy (commemorated in the documentary film “Mondovino”) and an advocate for “local” and “sustainable” long before they were buzzwords. Over the years, Hubert ceded more control to his children, Étienne and Alix, and together they grew the de Montille vineyard holdings to about 20 hectares (75% of which are either Premier or Grand Cru) across a broad range of appellations. Those vineyards have been organically farmed since 1995 and were certified biodynamic in 2012.
Étienne and Alix ably stepped into the void when their father passed away in 2014, and have successfully run the family domaine at the highest level. Over the years, we’ve featured wines from all of the assorted de Montille projects, and it’s clear that Étienne learned well from his exacting father. The de Montille ‘domaine’ wines, starting with Bourgogne Blanc and climbing up the ladder, continue to be models of focused, mineral, age-worthy Burgundy—and today’s Volnay 1er Cru is a standout.
“En Champans” is an amalgamation of the French words champ and pan, which roughly translates into ‘sloped field.’ As such, you’ll find this site on a gently rolling, southeast-facing hillside that sees abundant morning and early afternoon sunshine. This ancient, geologically rich slope also provides excellent drainage for the vines. It’s a distinct site that has become one of the most sought after in Volnay, while continually producing some of the most deliciously approachable yet cellar-worthy Pinot Noirs in all of Burgundy. De Montille’s parcel here is tiny, coming in at under one hectare, and all of it is worked by hand.
Arlot, DRC, Dujac, Leroy, and de Montille—other than serving as the greatest names in Burgundy, what else do they have in common? They all utilize healthy proportions of whole clusters in their fermentation. Is this one of the keys to producing world-class Pinot? Perhaps… For de Montille's 2016 “En Champans,” roughly one-third of the grapes fermented whole cluster in stainless steel vats before the final blend entered French oak barrels, 30% new, for a long maturation.
Domaine de Montille’s 2016 “En Champans” is a brilliant wine with a star-bright future. If you’re absolutely determined to consume this now, I would recommend no less than a 3 hour decant, but a true wine lover will quietly stow it away for years before that thought would even consider crossing their minds. Given proper time, this Premier Cru will evolve into an eloquent, to-the-nine gentleman that draws everyone’s attention. Currently, it’s a robust Volnay that shows impressive density and brooding layers driven by firm tannins, but all of that will effortlessly blend into the wine as years pass by. Ripe, dark-toned wild berries burst out of the glass alongside jaw-dropping notes of earth, violets, and piquant baking spices. And though it reveals astounding layers of aromatic purities, it’s the palate that takes center stage with a dense core of black and red fruits, underbrush, and intense minerality. Just remember, though it may be a brawny, deep-fruited stunner now, this is only at the very beginning stages of its life. One thing’s for sure: Be it five years from now or 20, we can guarantee your patience will be exponentially rewarded. Cheers!
