2022 Domaine de Montille, Saint-Aubin “En Remilly” Premier Cru, White Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, France.
Surprisingly dense, opulent and vinous on the palate, the golden/straw hued Domaine de Montille Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly is impressively structured, on par with the Pulignys and Chassagnes of the world, with a rich core of yellow apple, lemon curd, Bosc pear and almost apricot stone fruit, as well as being very subtly reductive, leesy, creamy and long on the finish, giving hints of mineral, clove spice, chalk and polished oak notes. A concentrated vintage, a top terroir, along with a good cut of natural acidity make this bottling a rewarding and flashy white Burgundy for those looking for a powerful, deeper and elegant expression of Chardonnay that opens up to a realm of complexity and finesse on the full bodied palate. The all biodynamic de Montille estate vines, set here on classic chalky limestone and clay soils of Saint-Aubin, are meticulously cared for and these Premier Cru white wines are barrel aged, barrel fermented, indigenous yeast fermented, and go through full Malolactic conversion and see a longer period of maturing in cask. Domaine de Montille, with Etiene de Montille in charge, started full organic back in 1990, now consists of 20 hectares of land in 20 appellation, with, as their importer Beaune Imports says, a staggering 75% in Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards throughout the Côte d’Or, almost certainly confirming the high quality you’ll find in these wines, with the Volnay and Pommard Rouge wines being signature masterpieces. Also, if you want to start a little more modestly with the de Montille estate wines I suggest grabbing the Clos du Château, Bourgogne Blanc, formerly known as Château Puligny-Montrachet, from domaine owned vines inside the town of Puligny, but classified as only Bourgogne Blanc! For true enthusiasts I recommend searching out the Premier Crus, as they offer Grand Cru quality at, for Burgundy, reasonable prices.
As for Saint-Aubin, which has really gained in stature in modern times, it was according to several archives, originally planted in the 3rd century AD and is one of the 17 villages of the Côte de Beaune, mainly located in a side valley to the west of Chassagne-Montrachet, somewhat disconnected from the famous hills of Chassagne. The Appellation d’origine contrôlée of Saint-Aubin may be used for white and red wine with respectively Chardonnay and Pinot, but is known mainly for the white wines these days. Domaine de Montille, as mentioned in my prior reviews, located in Volnay, is one of the most respected wineries in the world, not just one of the top domaines in Burgundy, but also sparking a huge amount of pride within France. The de Montilles, with a family heritage that dates back to the 17th century in the region and a winemaking tradition and history since 1750, but it wasn’t until Hubert de Montille, a well known lawyer, took over in 1947 that the estate started to rise in quality, joining some of the elite domaines in the Cote d”Or. Dedicated to wine and committed to excellence, Hubert began a run of producing long lived and highly sought after Burgundies, making some of the best reds within the Pommard, Beaune and Volnay crus ever seen. I have been lucky enough to taste a few of Hubert’s finest efforts, including his 1990 Volnay, 1er Cru, Les Taillepieds, which was a bit near the end of its life, but was absolutely heavenly. Now, De Montille is run by Hubert’s son Etienne, who has maintained the heritage here and in some cases eclipsed his famous father with some excellent wines of his own. It should not be overlooked that, Hubert’s equally accomplished daughter Alix, who’s married to Jean-Marc Roulot, joined as the winemaker for the white wines, which have almost become the equal of the reds. Over the years, as noted, I’ve enjoyed many Domaine de Montille wines, but I’m still not jaded and this Saint-Aubin was a gem of a wine, so big thanks to my friend Alex Lallos, who again pulled out a stunner from his own cellar to share!
($99-149 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive