Montagny is to be found at the south end of the Cote Chalonnaise, with three other villages which together make up the appellation (Buxy, Jully-lès-Buxy and Saint-Vallerin). And what an appellation it is; the discerning monks of Cluny, no less, preferred these white wines to those of anywhere else in Burgundy. The two primary activities through history in these parts have been the quarrying of stone and the making of fine wine. Those stones were in part used to create the 12th century fortifications of Buxy, which is well worth a visit for reasons of both history and vinology. The wines here are clean and fresh, with the vines being planted on marly Jurassic limestone dating back at least 200 million years (the same Kimmeridgian limestone which abounds in the Chablis region). At Buxy the terroir becomes somewhat gravelly, which adds nuances to the wine there. No red wines are produced here, but white is cultivated on an area of roughly 350 hectares (of which just over 200 hectares are Premier Cru).
Montagny
These are balanced but intense wines, showing all the typical characteristics of white wines from one of the best locations in the world. To the eye they have the lovely pale gold, limpid coloring of youth and after aging this becomes a darker gold. On the nose they have the wonderful bramble-scents like honeysuckle, mayflower and acacia. It is not unknown for lemon peel and gun-flint minerality to be present too. When tasting, you will find them fresh, alluring and with rich spicy flavors, so that they display a wonderful refinement alongside their well- built structure. Because Montagny is slightly further south than other Chalonnaise appellations, these wines have a little more body and acidity, combined with higher minerality from the limestone soils here. What should lone drink with such wines of perfection and strength? Well, you should match them with foods of equal intensity, whether that be game in creamy sauces, shellfish, or even paella, whose array of flavors will be complemented by the array present in the wine. And of course, the cheeses—try Emmental, Saint-Paulin, Comte or Beaufort for a really memorable finish to your meal.
White wines only.