Domaine A. et P. de Villaine - Mercurey 'Les Montots' 2012

In the 1970s, Aubert de Villaine and his American wife, Pamela, settled in the village of Bouzeron, well-situated between Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, Rully, and Mercurey, in the Côte Chalonnaise. However high-profile his day job as co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was, Aubert still considers himself a vigneron like any other, and Bouzeron’s off-the-beaten-path location left him alone to make his own wines without the demands of upholding an international reputation. The domaine was horribly run-down when the de Villaines took over, but years of studying this unique terroir have made them pioneers in one of the last forgotten enclaves of Burgundy. The monks of the great abbey of Cluny first planted vines here in the twelfth century, leaving a legacy that has endured for centuries. 

Domaine de Villaine—now led by Aubert’s nephew Pierre de Benoist—farms three appellations within the Côte Chalonaise, namely Bouzeron (Aligoté), Rully (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Mercurey (Pinot Noir). Their single-vineyard parcels are stunning examples of what this complex and amazing terroir can yield. Though their wines are quite enjoyable young, their ability to age well is what one might expect from a master such as de Villaine. Much of this is due to both the diversity of his vinestock and his organic and biodynamic methodology in the vineyards, both of which Aubert and Pierre stand by with great conviction.

Aged in wood cuves with a minimum 2/3 of the stems, wine stays in cuve for 14 to 17 days during fermentation depending on the vintage.

Producer: Domaine A. et P. de Villaine

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Appellation: Mercurey

Vintage: 2012

Size: 750ml