Country: France  Region: Burgundy  Vintage: 2019 Category: White Wine  Colour: White  Grape: Chardonnay Producer: Domaine de Montille Founded in the mid-18th century, this family-owned estate is one of the most historic in the Côte d’Or, with ninth generation Etienne de Montille now at its helm. Etienne inherited this responsibility from his late father, Hubert, who took over the domaine when it had shrunk from 12 to just 2.5 hectares. Previously, the family had sold off vineyards in Musigny, Bonnes Mares and Chambolle-Musigny. Hubert’s tenure lasted a staggering 50 years. While 90% of the region’s production was sold to négociants, he gained fame for his estate-bottled, long-lived and characterful wines. Following family tradition, Etienne trained as a lawyer, but was drawn back to Volnay where he invested in rebuilding the estate. He was a savvy buyer and the domaine now boasts 37 hectares across 35 separate appellations throughout the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, making it one of the most enviable vineyard holdings in the Côte d’Or.  Today, Etienne works with American-born chef de cave Brian Sieve, who has been with the domaine for over a decade. Together they make wines that are aromatic, supple and approachable in their youth, but still offer the impressive capacity for ageing for which Hubert was renowned. Vineyards: Saint-Aubin Premier Cru "En Remilly" was named after a former Romain proprietor Romilius. Vineyards are located on south facing slopes behind Le Montrachet, at the exit of the valley. Soil here is thin and rocky and vines are on average 70 years-old. . The wine comes from a massale selection of the 1.7 hectares parcel. The Domaine has practised organic viticulture since 1995 and was certified organic in 2012. Since 2005 it has also converted to biodynamic viticulture. Vinification: Grapes were hand picked and selected both in the vineyard and at the cellar. The wine was fermented in 600-liter oak casks (15% of new oak). Ageing took place in 600-liter oak casks for 1 year and then the wine was assembled and moved into stainless steel where it remained for further 5 months. Sulfur were added at bottling and not during vinification. The philosophy is to produce wines with great aromatic, purity, balance, and elegance rather than with power and extraction. The Domaine's current style remains faithful to Hubert's natural and idealistic approach. However, Etienne, Hubert’s son, is giving the wines greater aromatic expression and silkier textures, so that they can be drank earlier, without compromising their ability to age. Tasting Notes: On the nose, 2019 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly has aromas of pear, waxy citrus rind, white flowers and crushed chalk. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple with a lively acidity and a mineral finish.