Domaine de Montille Offering
Hello everyone! This is the second offering of this kind that I've done and, while I don't make a habit of working with the Marquee wines and regions, as it is not really my niche, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate them, as you would have been able to gather from the Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello offering some months back. And as with that offering, so it is with this, that I've had some inquiries about Burgundy and so, after tasting through some things, have come up with five different options from Domaine de Montille, that I'm excited to be able to offer!
These wines run the gamut of vine age and place, but all have this in common:
family owned vines,
Biodyanamically farmed & vinified,
partial or all whole cluster fermentations and
oak ageing that never exceeds 25% new barrel
These are wines that stand the test of time and, as one of the greatest examples of Burgundy, they are in for the long haul. Lay them down!
For more information go here: The De Montille Story I was fortunate to taste through a few of these with Michael Waissman, Proprietor of C&G Wines and distributor for de Montille here in the Northwest. I decided on the following 5 wines. The wines are limited and I will do my best to secure your wishes!
2017 Bourgogne Rouge- $58
Fruit for the straight Bourgogne Rouge, comes from vines in both Volnay and Puligny, with 100% of fermentation and elevage, taking place in 5-6 year old barrels. Fermentation is whole cluster with average vine-age at thirty years. This, of all of the wines, is one that you could approach now, and would give you an idea of the house style, that is de Montille. Even at this level, the wine is structured and angular. If I were to open a bottle, I would decant, and let open for a few hours, sipping throughout the day and enjoy its development. Because it will develop and it will round out and give you an idea of what is to come with some of the more focussed cuvées.
2017 Vin Nature, Monthelie Rouge-$70
This is de Montille's super natural, unfuctwith cuvée, with absolutely no sulfur added at any time during fermentation and bottling. Saying this though, let me say too, that all of their cuvées are minimally sulfited and at that, only at bottling. This is the domaine's nod to the natural wine bars in Paris, for whom they created the Monthelie, as a super live, vibrant, even prickly-on-the-tongue glass pour! And it is that. I picked up a bottle and opened for dinner, and like the Bourgogne Rouge, was kind of a beast upon opening, only to be let out like a genie, dissipate, and grant me three wishes...One of my wishes was that it might last for several days after opening, but it was gone after three! (We drank it) And it was beautiful and will only get better as it continues to develop.
2017 Pommard, Les Cras-$95
This may have been the most feral of the wines I tasted; the hardest, the most unforgivingly strict, to ever whip me, and I forgot the safe word. As such, it was also my favorite, as often-times Pommard is for me. I enjoy it because it is a crossroads of sorts, between the elegance of its neighbor across the road, Volnay, and some of the more rustic Cote de Beaune names, like Monthelie right next to Volnay. Vines for the Les Cras were planted in the early 80s. The soil is a composite of red clay, pebbles and scree from the upper slopes of the hill.
2017 Beaune 1er Cru, Les Sizies-$100
This comes from a single hectare parcel with 30% whole cluster fermentation. It was, of the five wines, the one that showed best right out of the bottle, after decanting. Truly lovely, it was red and vibrant upon first touch to my tongue and the nose sent tendrils of fruit and promise up into my fevered brain! I say that the Pommard was my favorite and it is, but more for its promise of what might be than what is right now. Les Sizies was astounding in its live-for-today-as-tomorrow-is-but-a-hope, kind of way. I don't know what kind of a person you are, but maybe you like to play both sides? What is, and what might be... if there is a tomorrow, perhaps? Ha! I leave it to you.
2017 Volnay 1er Cru, Les Brouillards- $145
What can one say about this? The quietest, the most reticent of the five wines, this to me, is a true vin de contemplation, meaning: the wine to sip and do nothing . . . Like a bong hit of some truly potent weed. (I think the french phrase would be, Un vrai vin de fumer.) Put on Bowie's Hunky Dory, and let the music lead you down tendrils of thought, deep into the soils of your mind. Really . . . The vineyard name says it all. Stunning.
There is no minimum for delivery on this order. Quantities are limited. There are other cuvées available and I'm happy to send a price list. These are the wines I tasted, which, I feel, provide a sketch of the Cote de Beaune, and of what Domaine de Montille is about.
Please hit me up here with any questions and/or orders!
Cantina Sauvage
Best to you,
Marc