Stéphane Aladame - Montagny 1er Cru Découverte 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Stéphane Aladame founded his winery in 1992 at the age of 18 and now works alongside Julie to cultivate 8 hectares in Montagny, seven of which are classified as Premier Cru. For the past decade, the vineyard has been managed using organic methods, including cover cropping and plowing. A proponent of freshness and finesse, Stéphane uses very little oak so that the terroir can express itself. The wines thus offer character but gain their precision with a little time in the bottle. A must-visit estate in Montagny, highly prized by wine merchants and restaurateurs.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

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 to drink even in its youth.

About the estate:

As I wrote last year, Stéphane Aladame, who launched his eponymous winery 25 years ago at the age of 18, is one of the leading figures in Montagny. He describes his vineyard practices as “three-quarters organic,” meaning he works the soil and avoids herbicides, as well as the use of synthetic 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 for 10 years, 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 the leading figures in Montagny. 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 for 10 years, 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.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

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 Montagnys are models of finesse and freshness: wines with minimal oak influence, great consistency, good aging potential, and offered at reasonable prices. The estate has established itself among France’s finest gourmet restaurants and exports only half of its production.