We’ve sung the praises of the de Montille family many times on SommSelect, and after tasting at Domaine de Montille on my last trip abroad, I’m even more convinced that Étienne de Montille is making some of the very best price-to-quality wines in Burgundy.
Étienne’s sister Alix, who was married to the famous Meursault producer Jean-Marc Roulot, relinquished her role overseeing white wine production at their négociant label, Maison de Montille, and Étienne has taken charge. Taking the same approach with this 2016 Montagny “Les Coères” Premier Cru as he does with his domaine-bottled Puligny-Montrachet “Cailleret” Premier Cru and Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, it’s knock-your-socks-off stunning at just $45 a bottle. Pure and energetic, showing quince and floral-infused aromas and flavors, supple texture, and vivid mineral cut, it’s a real bargain from a family with deep roots in the region. In recent years, Étienne has grown the Maison de Montille label into a juggernaut that stretches from Chablis to Mâcon, producing more than a dozen distinctive whites sourced from vineyards that meet exacting sustainability standards. The organically farmed “Les Coères” vineyard is among Étienne’s most prized finds because when people taste this Chardonnay, they think they’re drinking Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet. Count me among them—this 2016 is one deep and serious white!
Directly south of Beaune is the Côte Chalonnaise—an area that attracts value-hunters because of its striking similarities to the Côte d'Or. Old-vine plots such as Les Coères, which is considered one of the greatest sites in Montagny, are being treated with the same reverence shown their Côte de Beaune counterparts, and the results speak for themselves. Especially when ambitious and forward-thinking producers such as the De Montilles give them a voice.
As Burgundy connoisseurs know, the De Montille siblings have been fast-rising stars in the wine world, having grown up under the tutelage of their legendary father, Hubert, who passed away in 2014. Hubert was the crotchety patriarch of the family’s Domaine de Montille, which he ran for years while simultaneously practicing law. In addition to continuing their father’s work at Domaine de Montille—which is best known for earthy, mineral reds from Volnay and Pommard—Étienne and Alix branched out in many directions. Étienne spent time abroad (which included at least one California harvest and a stint bartending at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse), and returned to not only assist Hubert but take over winemaking at the Château de Puligny-Montrachet (which he ended up purchasing in 2012 with a group of investors). Alix, who was seen jousting with Hubert in the documentary film “Mondovino” (2004), was the original driving force behind Maison de Montille, but she has since gravitated to the restaurant business. The original mission of their label—to only purchase grapes from sustainable sources—remains in full effect, and they’ve convinced many of their grower-partners to convert to organics.
Today’s 2016 Montagny “Les Coères” was sourced from 25-year-old, organically farmed Premier Cru vines in the commune of Montagny-lès-Buxy. Grapes for this wine were hand-harvested and pressed into a mix of 228- and 600-liter oak barrels for fermentation, and the finished wine spent one year aging in barrels (maximum 20% new) and a further six months in stainless steel tank before bottling. Because of frost damage, yields were dramatically reduced across Burgundy in 2016, hence this 2016 offers a little more weight and concentration than is typical, bearing a resemblance to a top Meursault
lieu-dit. It’s a flashy white, rife with tension, texture, precision, and depth. In the glass, it has a lemon-straw luster with aromas of cut yellow apple, hazelnut, white peach, quince, ginger and lime blossom, with notes of fresh cream, and focused minerality. The palate is medium to medium-plus in body and absolutely electric, lifted by fresh acidity and still tightly coiled (but relaxes with air)—this is a wine that will benefit from some time in the cellar, about 5-7 years, to broaden and deepen further. If enjoying a bottle now, decant it for 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 50-55 degrees and pair it with a pristine piece of grilled fish, simply prepared. Affordable luxury is where it’s at for me—all summer long!
