Domaine de Montille Volnay "Les Taillepieds" 1er Cru 2014
(Burgundy, France) 750mL - [BH 90-93]

The appellation:

Volnay is the stronghold of the family domain. Tucked into the hillside, the vineyards of Volnay long ago captured the hearts of the dukes of Burgundy, who owned a significant portion of them.

The lieu-dit known as "Les Taillepieds" takes its name from its steep hill and the small, sharp gravel on which winegrowers "slashed their feet" while digging into the earth. It faces east and south on a mid-slope composed of light brown clay and lots of tiny gravel stones.

Volnay "Les Taillepieds" has little to envy the great wines of the Côte de Nuits : it is a model of aromatic purity, of precision and of structural exactness. The nose is highly defined, precise, pure, often floral and always mineral and spicy. The mouthfeel is robust with a tannic frame that is strict, dense and minerally.

All of these elements - the minerality, the purity, the structure and the elegance, evoke the image of a Cistercian building, like the abbeys that seem to defy time. Effectively, a "Taillepieds" can age and shine for decades.

The wines, the style:

Domaine de Montille is known to craft wines with great aromatic purity, always favoring balance and elegance over power and extraction. The wines are classic expressions of Burgundy, produced in the most natural way possible and possessing an impressive ability to age, as the family believes only time can reveal the true potential of the greatest wines. The domaine's current style remains faithful to Hubert's natural and idealistic approach, which demanded considerable patience while waiting for appropriate drinking windows for certain vintages. Etienne, however, has taken up the task to bring greater aromatic expression and silkier and more unctuous textures to the reds, allowing them to drink earlier, without compromising their ability to age. The domaine is known in Burgundy, among others such as Arlot, DRC, Dujac and Leroy, to regularly vinify using a significant proportion of whole clusters, varying by cuvée and by vintage.

Tending the Vines:

The Domaine has practiced organic viticulture since 1995. Today, our wines are certified by Ecocert. Additionally, since 2005, biodynamic practices have been implemented to show our full respect for these living soils.