Description
Domaine Edmond Monnot, Maranges Premier Cru “Clos de la Boutière”
Although Edmond Monnot retired after a long career of winemaking in 2007, his sons were right alongside to ensure a seamless transition. Dating to 1920, the Monnot estate covers just nine hectares of prime vineyards in Maranges, the majority of which are Premier Cru. When the Côte de Beaune comes to mind, you first think of world-class whites, and for reds, Volnay or Pommard undoubtedly enter the conversation. But the wines from the southernmost Côte de Beaune village of Maranges are still relatively unfamiliar to the U.S. market, allowing for a price-to-quality ratio that is nearly unrivaled in Burgundy.
This is exactly the kind of “outlier” village a savvy Burgundy drinker scours for value. Although it was only granted AOC status in 1988, the appellation is a gold mine for Premier Cru vines with one out of every 2.5 hectares enjoying that coveted status. Premier Cru “Clos de la Boutière” is Monnot’s special 1.4-hectare monopole, meaning they are the sole owners. Situated on a prime mid-slope position, the site boasts vines averaging 60+ years of age, although a third are now closing in on the century mark. The fruit is hand-harvested, sorted, and de-stemmed before spending roughly three weeks in large cement tanks before fermentation. The wines are gravity-fed into a barrel and the wines age for 12 months in French oak, 10% new. They finish aging in tank for six months before bottling, allowing flavors to integrate and the enticing perfume of the wine to come to the fore.
A gorgeous Pinot Noir, this 2019 “Clos de la Boutière” delivers bright, ripe layers of wet strawberry, raspberry, and red cherry alongside nuanced aromas of damp moss, baking spice, rose petal, and pomegranate seed. It has the perfume of Volnay with the complex structure of Pommard, all while retaining the generosity of Maranges. It’s ready to be savored now but will easily keep over the next decade—we’ve emptied many of their mid-2000s bottlings over the years!
