[SOLD-OUT] Aladame Montagny Prelude 2020

 

"Stéphane Aladame yearned to work in the vineyards, but did not inherit vines or any winemaking tradition from his family. So when a grower in his hometown of Montagny-les-Buxy decided to retire and presented him with the opportunity to rent approximately three hectares of vines, Stéphane dove in head first. Over the years, he acquired new contracts and replanted abandoned vineyards, bringing the total surface area of the domaine today to almost 7 hectares. 

He has earned an outstanding reputation, his bottles gracing the tables of Michelin-starred restaurants throughout France and abroad. The appellation owes a great deal to Stéphane, who is now a driving force for an area with superb potential.

Prelude is 100% Chardonnay from two Montagny parcels: Le May (St. Vallerin), Les Coères (Montagny). 

Due to the high limestone content and shallow soils, Stéphane describes the style of Montagny wines closer to Chablis than to the Côte d’Or. In the cellar, he works to preserve the fresh minerality. Whole bunches are pressed, followed by a light settling period in tank. Indigenous yeast fermentation is typically split between tank and barrel, as is the aging, which lasts about 10 months. Sulfur additions are homeopathic, adding just enough to ensure the wines’ precision." - Aladame 

 

"The name says it all: Prélude is the entry-level Montagny, sourced from the vineyards of Le May (Saint-Vallerin) and Les Coères (Montagny). It was raised for 10 months, in a combination of tank (60%) and older barrels (40%). In contrast to the Mon Blanc, the villages cuvée displays more volume, yet it remains braced by a consistent thread of acidity. A feeling of nervy tension as well as a finely honed citrus flavour contribute weight to the solid skeleton--structure supports richness. It's delicious, charming value, and has been described by Jasper Morris as "An exemplary source of characterful Montagny." - Bibendum

 

"For me the star Montagny producer is Stéphane Aladame, who bucks the safe-and-pleasant Chalonnaise stereotype to conjure wines of real and enduring interest... whites of delicious precision." - Raymond Blake, The World of Fine Wine

"Winemakers, such as Stéphane Aladame, demonstrate that Montagny’s calcareous soils have a lot of untapped potential." - Neal Martin, Vinous

 

 

Country:

France

Region:

France- Burgundy Other

Variety:

Wine White - Chardonnay

Size:

750mL