Montagny 1er Cru “Les Maroques” – Domaine Stéphane Aladame

Stéphane Aladame’s organic estate in Montagny is one of the stars of the Côte Chalonnaise. Stéphane began from scratch in 1992, at the age of 18 and has since earned an outstanding reputation thanks to his commitment, almost exclusively, to Premier Cru vineyards. Today, his bottles grace the tables of Michelin-starred restaurants throughout France and abroad. Stéphane’s eight hectares are all farmed organically and harvested by hand, unlike the majority of Montagny’s vineyards which are dominated by cooperatives. Stéphane vinifies each vineyard separately in a small cellar under his house. The wines all display a serious, crystalline precision and unmistakeable vibrancy, which Stéphane attributes to the high limestone content and shallow soils in Montagny; in effect much closer in profile to Chablis than to the Côte d’Or. The wines of Montagny can easily rival those from the more famous Côte de Beaune, which lies immediately to the north, and at considerably better prices.