Domaine du Cellier aux Moines
Vieilles Vignes Les Charmelottes Montagny 1er Cru Chardonnay
Montagny, Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France
It’s far from cheap for a Chalonnaise white but it’s very very good. Little discernible oak influence on the nose, which, with some air, gives off increasingly deep pear and ripe apple fruit, along with deep-toned limestoney notes. Great concentration in the mouth, with weighty fruit and deep minerality spilling into a long finish. Medium-low acids. Whether it’s worth the high price tag is debatable, but you can’t deny that it’s quite enjoyable and interesting.
What I’m internally debating is this: At this price point, would I rather have a well-made village or lieu-dit Meursault, or an elite Montagny? There’s a special terroir that comes through with a well-made village Meursault, or Chassagne, or Puligny (or even a good Saint-Aubin or Auxey). And Montagny—even a maxed-out Montagny like this one—won’t have that. (I guess I answered my own question.)
It’s far from cheap for a Chalonnaise white but it’s very very good. Little discernible oak influence on the nose, which, with some air, gives off increasingly deep pear and ripe apple fruit, along with deep-toned limestoney notes. Great concentration in the mouth, with weighty fruit and deep minerality spilling into a long finish. Medium-low acids. Whether it’s worth the high price tag is debatable, but you can’t deny that it’s quite enjoyable and interesting.
What I’m internally debating is this: At this price point, would I rather have a well-made village or lieu-dit Meursault, or an elite Montagny? There’s a special terroir that comes through with a well-made village Meursault, or Chassagne, or Puligny (or even a good Saint-Aubin or Auxey). And Montagny—even a maxed-out Montagny like this one—won’t have that. (I guess I answered my own question.)
