Stéphane Aladame - Montagny 1er Cru Découverte 2018

Stéphane Aladame founded his winery in 1992 at the age of 18 and now, together with Julie, cultivates 8 hectares in Montagny, seven of which are Premier Cru vineyards. For the past decade or so, the vineyards have been managed using organic methods, including cover cropping and plowing. A proponent of freshness and finesse, Stéphane uses very few barrels to allow the terroir to express itself. The wines thus offer character but develop their precision with a little time in the bottle. A must-visit estate in Montagny, highly prized by wine merchants and restaurateurs.

With aromas of white flowers, blanched almonds, elderflower, and peach, the 2018 Montagny 1er Cru Découverte is dense, delicate, and lovely, with moderate concentration and lively acidity. Like all of Aladame’s wines this year, it will be enjoyable even in its youth.

As I wrote last year, Stéphane Aladame, who launched his eponymous winery 25 years ago at the age of 18, is one of Montagny’s leading figures. He describes his vineyard practices as “three-quarters organic,” meaning that he works the soil and avoids herbicides, as well as the use of organic pesticides, but will apply two or three synthetic treatments per year if necessary. In the cellar, he avoids extremes, using mostly large 350-liter barrels and rotating them over a 10-year period, so that the aromas and flavors of new oak do not have a significant influence here. His wines are pure, charming, and well worth seeking out.As I wrote last year, Stéphane Aladame, who launched his eponymous estate 25 years ago at the age of 18, is one of Montagny’s leading figures. He describes his vineyard practices as “three-quarters organic,” meaning he works the soil and avoids herbicides, as well as the use of organic pesticides, but will apply two or three synthetic treatments per year if necessary. In the cellar, he avoids extremes, using mostly large 350-liter barrels and rotating them over a 10-year period, so that the aromas and flavors of new oak do not have a significant influence here. His wines are pure, charming, and well worth seeking out.

Stéphane Aladame founded his winery in 1992, at the age of eighteen. Since then, this highly perfectionist winemaker has made steady progress, supported by his wife Julie. Alongside the winery, a small wine trading business was launched in 2002, producing white Burgundy and a small amount of Montagny. His white Montagny wines are models of finesse and freshness: lightly oaked, consistently high in quality, well-suited for aging, and offered at reasonable prices. The estate has established itself among France’s finest gourmet restaurants and exports only half of its production.