Monthélie 2017
Surrounded by its prestigious neighbors, Volnay, Auxey-Duresses and Meursault, Monthélie has asserted itself over the years. The detour through this picturesque little village has become
a must for lovers of quality wines.
Origin
Monthélie is one of the smallest appellations in the Côte de Beaune, with a mere 120 ha of planted vines, including its minuscule 7.5 ha production of Chardonnay. The altitude is around 280 metres, with steep slopes and a south-easterly exposure which give the grapes excellent maturity year after year. The ground here is so-called ‘white’ soil with a low limestone content, bestowing refinement and subtlety on the wine.
Our supply comes from plots located at the top of the hill.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: mostly limestone.
Orientation: East
Surface area under vine: 0.2113 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 50 hL/ha
Average age of the vine: 40 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 11 September 2017.
The grapes were handpicked and were sorted a first time in the vineyard and a second time when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: The whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels of 450L with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation (up to 10 months!) using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 20 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. 30% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: Oak of French origin toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: The wine was bentonite fined and very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in May 2019.
Number of bottles: 1,520.
Vintage
2017, finesse
The growing cycle was thrown off-kilter by a very cold winter, late spring frost, then optimal conditions for rapid flowering, sporadic hail, and summer drought. Harvesting began in early September in the sun, and after several lean years, the vines finally produced abundant grapes, although with significant differences in maturity between whites and reds and from one region to another, which called for strict sorting.
Ageing potential: from 6 to 10 years.
Tasting notes
The color is bright pale yellow. the nose will seduce you with its subtle aromas of honeysuckle, green apple, associated with citrus notes. On the palate, the wine is tangy and reveals a beautiful minerality embellished with buttery notes on the finish.
