2005 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Caillerets

Domaine de Montille is the Volnay estate of the Montille family, which traces its roots to the 17th century. In modern times the estate was revived by Hubert Montille, the family patriarch who, though trained as a lawyer, began making wine in 1947. Rather than selling his cuvee to negociants, he bottled his own, a rarity at the time. Today the estate is run by Hubert’s son Etienne, also a lawyer with extensive viticulture experience, with help from his sister Alix. Hubert died in 2014. The 60-acre estate includes Grand Cru parcels in Clos de Vougeot, Corton and Corton-Charlemagne, as well as Premier Crus in Vosne-Romanee, Pommard, Volnay, Beaune and Puligny-Montrachet. Clive Coates calls Domaine de Montille a “great Volnay estate, well-known for its policy of minimal chaptalisation. This makes for very pure wines….”

Le Cailleret is a 7.8-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the appellation of Puligny-Montrachet, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. Le Cailleret is just above the Grand Cru Le Montrachet. Burgundy writer Clive Coates notes that at its best, Le Cailleret and its diminutive neighbor Les Demoiselles “make exquisite wines: not as powerful as Le Montrachet itself, but of pure breed, excellent grip and beautiful balance.”

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.