Tasting at de Montille is always an education as the opportunity to sample across the Cote d’Or, the domaine’s consistently top class reds and whites, gives an unrivalled perspective on the quality and style of the vintage, accompanied by Brian Sieve’s typically measured appraisal. Only marginally affected by the frosts of 2016 and 2017, the domaine has enjoyed fairly homogeneous yields across the last three vintages. Great fruit set and warmer evenings but not the relentless heat that affected some sites established the tone for the domaine’s wines, and as ever, Brian is strict about picking based on the acidity profile of the grapes, which has ensured balanced wines with the correct pH and alcohol levels under 13.3%. Elegance, focus and energy epitomise the domaine’s wines and they were a pleasure to taste as always.
(NB - We spent even longer at the domaine this year as Etienne and Brian had agreed to complete the élevage of the barrels of Hospice de Beaune 2019 wines we hoped to buy at the forthcoming auction for our syndicate members. As experienced tasters of the Hospice wines, they also had useful advice on preferred cuvées, which was another factor in our choices. We later bid successfully on the barrels we wanted (Pommard 1er Cru and a rather fantastic Meursault) and they will be making their way to de Montille for completion…)
The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux St. Julien offers uncomplicated red cherry and crushed strawberry aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of white pepper sprinkled over the red fruit, and a finely tuned and quite precise finish. Just a village cru? It has premier cru ambitions. Very fine. 90-92/100, Neal Martin, Vinous
92/100, Tim Atkin MW