The Howard dozen: top Montagny to try

Feuillat-Juillot, Montagny 1er Cru

Les Coères 2018 93

£ 23.50 Palmers Wine Store

Les Coères is Montagny’s largest premier cru and Feuillat-Juillot owns 4ha of 60-year-old vines lying at 300m. Rich and concentrated, the wine retains a lovely freshness on the palate, balancing ripe white peach fruit notes. Maturation in 500-litre barrels has added complexity and texture. A fine example of premier cru Montagny. Drink 2020-2024 Alcohol 13%

Jean- Marc Boillot, Montagny 1er Cru 2018 93

£ 27.95-£ 32 Cru, Lay & Wheeler, Lea & Sandeman, Taurus Wines, The Solent Cellar

A very glossy Montagny premier cru, almost Côte de Beaune in style: rich, unctuous and spicy, with enough acidity to keep the palate fresh and a hint of smoky reduction. A consistently impressive bottling. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 13.5%

Stéphane Aladame, Montagny 1er Cru Les Maroques 2018 93

£ 29.99-£ 33.45 Christopher Keiller, Liberty Wines, The Fine Wine Co

A 3.5ha vineyard on east-facing slopes above 300m. From older vines, this is a fine example of the quality being achieved by Aladame. Vinified with natural yeast and 80% barrel fermentation, this balances stone fruits with pithy grapefruit notes and a lingering coolness on the finish. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 13.5%

Château de Chamilly, Les Reculerons, Montagny 2018 92 £ 10 (ib) Bowes Wine, House of Townend Les Reculerons is a 0.5ha lieu-dit with grey marl soils interspersed with silex. Ageing in concrete has added to the subtle smoky notes, with green apple and stone fruit flavours, and fine acidity to finish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13.5%

Feuillat-Juillot, Cuvée Les Grappes d’Or, Montagny

1er Cru 2018 92

£ 22 L’Art du Vin, The Solent Cellar

A fine premier cru sourced from 30- to 40-year-old vines grown on a 6ha site. A proportion of barrel fermentation has added spice and dried-fruit notes to the fresh, lively palate, which finishes with a stony, mineral edge. Great purity and precision here. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 13%

Jean- Marc Pillot, Montagny 1er Cru

Les Gouresses 2017 92

£ 20.17 Fine & Rare, Montrachet

From a small plot of 100-year-old vines, Pillot produces a very smart Montagny premier cru. Rich, full-bodied and creamy, this is balanced by a focused, mineral and saline edge which keeps the wine restrained and elegant. Not cheap for AP Montagny, but good value for a beautifully crafted premier cru Burgundy. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13%

Philippe Colin, Montagny 1er Cru

Sous les Feilles 2017 92

£ 27-£ 30 Berry Bros & Rudd, Bowland Forest Vintners, Christopher Keiller

Colin adopts a similar stylistic approach to this Montagny as with all his wines: the emphasis is on raciness and elegance with subtle wood character. From the excellent 2017 vintage, this Sous les Feilles balances a concentrated core of green apple fruit with zesty lemon notes and a long, salty finish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13.5%

Berthenet, Tête de Cuvée, Montagny 2018 91

£ 15.63-£ 22.95 Christopher Keiller, Montrachet, Raffles Fine Wines, South Downs Cellars Berthenet’s Tête de Cuvée is a blend from all but one of the domaine’s vineyards. Succulent, ripe and honeyed, the calcareous slopes have added freshness, citrus and saline notes. Unoaked, there are beguiling floral notes in this fine Montagny. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Louis Latour, La Grande Roche, Montagny 1er Cru 2018 91

£ 21.99-£ 25 Christopher Keiller, Fareham Wine Cellar, Majestic, North & South Wines, T Wright, The Drink Shop, Wine Direct

Crisp, bright, unoaked premier cru Montagny with more than a little similarity to a warmer-vintage Chablis. Peach and ripe melon fruit flavours, combined with a succulent texture and saline, stony finish. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Olivier Leflaive, Montagny 1er Cru 2018 91

£ 17 (ib)-£ 27.95 Berry Bros & Rudd, Lay & Wheeler, Vin Cognito

80% of the blend is from the south-facing Bonneveaux, with the rest from Les Coères and limestone-driven Perrières. Franck Grux vinifies all the elements separately, blending post malolactic. Rich and textured, with fine acidity to balance. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13%

Joseph Drouhin, Montagny 2017 90 £ 18.50-£ 22.50 Exel, Great Wines Direct, Q Wines, The Great Wine Co, Vinvm

A blend of green apple and yellow stone fruit flavours, with characteristic acidity from the 2017 vintage balancing the ripe, warm palate. Aged in barrel for 6-8 months, which adds extra layers of subtlety to this creamy Montagny. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Vignerons de Buxy, Vieilles Vignes, Montagny 2016 90 £ 12.99 Majestic

A vintage that’s at its best now, this is a typical example of the high quality produced at the Buxy cooperative (see p46). There are ripe, warm stone fruits combining with crisp, zesty, citrus acidity. All very nicely balanced, and a fine example of the 2016 vintage. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 13%