Domaine de Montille
Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots
Color White
Grape variety chardonnay
Surface area 0.49 ha
Production 900
Share of new barrels 15%
Alcohol 12,5%
The appellation

Contrary to unfortunate appearances, the word “Aigrots” has nothing to do with the terms “Aigre/Aigreur” (sour/bitterness) but rather refers to the presence of holly, a thorny shrub, which comes from Latin “Argifolium”. Our 0.49-ha plot is located at the foot of the hillside, on clay, marl-limestone soil, with a gentle slope. It produces a fruity, ample and generous wine that generally drinks well young.

The wine and the style

After a light settling, the musts are put into 228 and 600-liter-barrels to complete the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. We work with 5 to 20% new barrels with wood coming mostly from Allier, light toasting. The wines are racked about a year later before being transfered to stainless steel vats for the second phase of their aging in order to retain freshness and minerality.

Vine growing

Organic since 1995 and biodynamic since 2005. All our wines are certified by Ecocert.

The vintage
Vintage 2021 had everyone talking very early in the growing season due to the terrible spring frost that hit the region between April 6 and 8, 2021. Temperatures dropped to -8°C (17°F), irremediably damaging harvest volume. The vines timidly resumed their development, the relatively cold and wet days of July and beginning of August keeping them a bit behind schedule throughout the summer. With twice as many treatments to push off mildew outbreaks, the growing season of 2021 was quite the challenge for our team but everyone’s efforts paid off! Inevitably, volumes were down by 60% on average with major disparities. Chardonnay vines were more affected by the frost because they were ahead in their vegetative cycle compared to pinot noir. Yet, the musts surprised us all with exceptional crisp and stellar freshness. As a result, 2021 unveils a classic and well-balanced profile. Far from the solar character of the previous three vintages, it reveals airy textures and lovely drinkability, combining pleasure and purity.
Tasting note
Delicious notes of brioche while and staying on the same line of freshness as the other 2021 wines of the domaine.
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