Country: France  Region: Burgundy  Vintage: 2019 Category: Red Wine  Colour:  Red   Grape: Pinot Noir 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: The hill of Corton is located between the Cote de nuits and the Cotes de Beaune.This 0.84 hectare Grand Cru sits on a south-east facing mid-slope in the heart of the hillside, just above the path that separates "Les Bressandes" from "Clos du Roi". Soil here is made of clay and limestone. Vinification: Grapes were hand picked and selected both in the vineyard and at the cellar. The wine was vinified using 66% of whole bunch. Ageing took place in barrel (40% of new oak) and then the wine was assembled and moved into stainless steel. 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, the Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi is showing aromas of ripe cherries, raspberries, burning embers, grilled squab, black truffle and rich soil tones. On the palate, it is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with an elegantly muscular chassis of powdery tannins, lively acids, and a long, resonant finish.