Regional profile: Montagny, Burgundy Andy Howard MW
It’s one of those no-fuss regions, positioned between the Côte de Beaune and Mâconnais, and content to busy itself specialising in Chardonnays of a reliably decent standard, and in some cases better. As price rises elsewhere across Burgundy show little si
The southernmost appellation of Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny remains an enigma. With prices of the best white Burgundy rocketing over the past few years, there is now increasing interest in wines from the Côte Chalonnaise, with many representing a great balance between quality and price. Vintages 2017 and 2018 have both been fine in the Chalonnaise, making it a serious alternative for consumers seeking out highquality Bourgogne wines at affordable prices.
Berry Bros & Rudd buyer Adam Bruntlett says: ‘Montagny pricing is competitive – premiers crus are about half the price of village Puligny or Meursault.’
Andrew Hawes, from specialist importer Thorman Hunt, agrees: ‘Montagny offers good value white wines in the Burgundy context.’ Despite this, Montagny retains a low profile,
even in comparison with the wines of its Chalonnaise neighbours Mercurey and Rully. So, how best to navigate the appellation? Who are the producers to seek out, and what should consumers expect in terms of style?
Long tradition
Montagny can only be produced in the four communes of (north to south) Buxy, Montagny-lès-Buxy, Jully-lès-Buxy and St-Vallerin, with the appellation reserved exclusively for white wine made from the Chardonnay grape. The terroir here is well matched to this noble variety, with complex geological structures showing some significant differences to the Côte d’Or, Maconnais and the rest of the Côte Chalonnaise.
The clay soils differ to those of Mercurey and Rully, with marls and marl-limestone on strata from the Lias ( Jurassic) and Triassic period. In some vineyards Kimmeridgian soil is found, perhaps explaining why Montagny and Chablis often share a certain flintiness.
Established in September 1936, Montagny was one of France’s first appellations. The area under vine covers about 350ha, with production in 2018 totalling just under 21,000hl. Vineyards are planted with south and easterly exposition at 250m-400m. Many of the top climats are found at the higher elevations, adding raciness and a salty edge to the appellation’s fleshy, ripe style. Montagny is generally more floral and expressive than Mercurey or Rully, with fresh acidity and mineral notes combining with green apple
‘Montagny has 49 climats designated premier cru, more than any other appellation with the exception of Chablis’
(p49) the Buxy cooperative, which accounts for about two-thirds of bottles produced. Established in 1931, the Cave has more than 120 producers and is highly regarded in terms of quality and investment in both vineyard practices and production. The Buxy co-op is the source for many of the good-value, goodquality Montagny premier cru wines found on the shelves of UK supermarkets, mirroring La Chablisienne in Chablis.
At the same time, smaller domaines are gaining in importance, with a focus on individual terroir and specific climats. Key names are Berthenet, Château de Chamilly, Feuillat-Juillot and the highly regarded Stéphane Aladame. One of the biggest drawbacks with these producers is availability, as volumes are often low.