En Champans

Light purple in the glass, there is an intriguing hint of sweet spice – ginger even – on the nose, and masses of black fruit on the palate. The round, ripe tannins and gentle acidity make this a sunny, sensual wine.

A dense medium purple colour, with a rich coating of dark velvety fruit, this 2015 is 85 percent whole-bunch with 33 percent new wood, a little bit of which shows on the nose. The firm, youthful finish suggests a good future for this wine. Drink 2020-2028.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

This is a vintage to buy from Domaine de Montille without hesitation, whether it be the Bourgogne Rouge, a Grand Cru or indeed anything in between, such as his marvellous Volnays and Pommards. The whites are very smart, too. In common with other vignerons, Etienne and his cellar master, Brian Sieve, have opted for a higher proportion of whole bunches this year. The grapes were picked between 1st and 5th September, with alcohol levels coming in below 13 percent.

Fortunately situated for the 2016 frosts, the vines to the top of Champans gave twice the volume of the lower vines, which live on more clay-rich soil, and where the humidity had a greater influence. The De Montille vines, especially the older ones, have yielded a rich and generously proportioned wine, with an accent more on dark than red fruit. Drink 2020-2027.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Domaine de Montille was developed by Hubert de Montille (1930-2014), a prominent Dijon lawyer, who inherited 2.5 hectares of vineyards in Volnay in 1947. Over the years he acquired further parcels in Volnay, Pommard and Puligny-Montrachet Les Caillerets. Today the business is run by his son Étienne who has extended the domaine by purchases of vineyards in Beaune, Corton and the Côte de Nuits, including some marvellous Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically and the red wines are increasingly vinified with whole bunches. Following the splendid successes here in 2015, this vintage provides a contrast in style, but with reasons to buy that are just as compelling. Volumes are down in certain appellations and winemaking has been tempered to release more of the vintage’s purity of fruit and definition of terroir. Use of whole bunches for the reds continues, but not by rote, with proportions being adjusted according to each cuvée’s requirements.

Champans tends to give wines that are more dense and textural than the stereotypical Volnay, but Brian succeeds here in softening some of those rough edges without losing the site’s individuality. High-toned and perfumed with rich, bright red fruit, the nose is appealing. The palate is broad with some powdery tannins and a floral touch thanks to one-third wholebunch. Drink 2021-2026.

Winemaker Brian Sieve draws comparisons between the white wines of 2017 and 2014, explaining that the texture, weight and freshness are very similar in both years, although 2017 has perhaps a little more fruit ripeness, along with excellent tension and persistence. He believes that this same freshness and brightness in the reds will provide ageing capacity, pointing out that they worked hard to restrict the yield of Pinot Noir to achieve riper grapes. Overall slightly less whole-bunch fermentation was used as Brian felt the stems and fruit were not as ripe as in richer vintages.