2019 St Romain, Maison de Montille

This was originally called Maison Deux Montille, having begun as a partnership between siblings Alix and Etienne de Montille. Their family domaine, based in Volnay, is historic, but they set out in 2003 to experiment with different appellations to those their father, Hubert, had traditionally vinified. Just as the domaine has evolved and expanded due to the addition of the land they bought from Domaine Thomas in the Côte de Nuits in 2005, and the vineyards in the Côte de Beaune that arrived when Etienne purchased the Château de Puligny-Montrachet in 2012, so has this small negociant business changed. Etienne took over the ownership when his sister retired, and production has shrunk rather than grown.
In the vineyards and cellar the approach replicates that of the domaine, with the same team overseeing viticulture, deciding harvest dates and selecting the grapes. Long-standing contracts mean Etienne knows the growers and their vineyards well. The wines are made by domaine winemaker Brian Sieve at the cuverie in Meursault. Certified organic, the maison introduced biodynamic practices in 2005.