Chateau de Puligny Montrachet Nuits Saint Georges "Clos des Grandes Vignes" 1er Cru 2010
(Burgundy, France)
Regular price $150.00 Sale price $139.98 Save $10.02
About the Winemaker:
Domaine de Montille is a Burgundy producer known for its Pinot Noir from highly regarded vineyards in Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits. The family has an extensive history in Burgundy, and the estate has carried the de Montille name since 1863.
During much of its history it sold grapes to négociants - common practice for vineyard owners in the early 20th Century. The domaine also sold off whole parcels of land, significantly reducing its original holdings.
Hubert de Montille inherited the remaining 2.5 hectares (6 acres) in Volnay and vinified his first vintage in 1947.
In the following decades, he turned the domaine into one of the top red Burgundy producers, gradually accumulating parcels of land in various communes along the Côte d'Or. By 2011, the estate had grown to 20 hectares (50 acres) with 75 percent of its land in Premier or Grand Cru vineyards.
This was more or less doubled by the purchase of Château de Puligny-Montrachet the following year (see below).
Its most sought-after wines come from plots in Corton, Pommard, Vosne Romanée Aux Malconsorts and has grown to include plots of Chardonnay in Puligny-Montrachet's premier cru Le Cailleret vineyard as well. In the 1980s Hubert's son, Étienne, began working at the domaine, followed by his daughter, Alix.
In the mid 1990s, Domaine de Montille began using organic farming practices. It took a turn towards Biodynamics in 2005 and was certified Organic in 2012.
The winery only uses indigenous yeast and generally avoids chaptalization, resulting in wines that are rarely higher than 12 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). The use of new oak is also strictly controlled.
The family also owns the negociant label Maison de Montille. This offers wines from non-estate grown fruit.
Château de Puligny-Montrachet
In 2001 Étienne began overseeing Château de Puligny-Montrachet. He introduced Biodynamic farming and whole-cluster fermentation to make the wines less austere, more silky and more aromatic.
His initial seven year management contract was renewed in 2008, reflecting a rise in quality.
Then in 2012 the Montille family bought the domaine, initially maintaining production under the original title for a few years. From the 2017 vintage, they have been releasing the wines under the Domaine de Montille banner.
The purchase delivered another 20 hectares (49 acres) of vines, with a focus on Chardonnay, located across the Côte de Beaune. Some parcels of Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru were not taken on by the new owners.
The holdings are not especially focussed on Puligny-Montrachet in terms of area. However, they do include small parcels in three Premier Crus and the Grand Crus Chevalier-Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, and Montrachet.