Monthélie

France · AOC (PDO) · Burgundy

Styles

Natural factors

The appellation is limited to the single commune of Monthélie, in Côte-d'Or, on the south-facing slope of a valley draining the hinterland of the Côte de Beaune.
The vines rest on Callovian platy limestones at the foot of the slope and Oxfordian marls in the upper part of the hillsides, two Jurassic sedimentary formations.
The colluvial slope deposits, combining scree, clays, and silts, are very stony and thin at the top of the escarpment, and richer in fine particles and thicker at the footslope (a few decimetres to 1 metre).
The climate is characterised by a cool oceanic tendency, with approximately 730 mm of rainfall per year and a mean annual temperature of 10.5 °C, without a pronounced summer drought.
A north–south-oriented valley (combe) cuts through the hillside, generating cooler mesoclimates, while at its mouth an alluvial fan forms a stony, well-drained area.

Human factors

Before 1936, the wines of Monthélie were generally sold under the names 'Volnay', 'Pommard', or even 'Beaune', before being recognised as an appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1937.
Pinot noir accounts for approximately 90% of planted area, with Chardonnay concentrated in the cooler sectors such as the combes and the marly soils.

Product characteristics

The red wines, with a ruby colour, display a fine tannic structure and are capable of extended ageing of ten years or more.
The white wines combine roundness lifted by acidity, with a bouquet that develops over the years in the case of the premiers crus.

Terroir / wine link

The Jurassic calcareous and marly soils, generally calcareous, thin, and well-draining, favour the optimal expression of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.