Domaine de Montille Beaune Premier Cru Les Sizies 2017: A Fragrant Burgundy with a Deliciously Stubborn Side
Not every Premier Cru Burgundy needs to be a monument of concentration and solemnity. Domaine de Montille’s Beaune Les Sizies 2017 belongs to a more graceful tradition: fragrant, supple and wonderfully alive, with juicy cherries, wild strawberries and a distinctly earthy undertone. But beneath its inviting fruit lies a dry, slightly angular structure that prevents this Pinot Noir from becoming too accommodating.
The 2017 vintage gave Burgundy an attractive combination of ripeness and freshness, and Les Sizies captures both. Its red fruit is vivid, the tannins are fine, and the acidity provides an energetic backbone. The influence of whole-bunch fermentation adds a subtle herbal tension, while restrained oak leaves the fruit largely undisturbed.
There is plenty to admire here, although the finish is a little sterner than the generous opening might suggest. A Burgundy with charm, certainly, but also a mischievous touch of austerity.
The Basics
- Producer: Domaine de Montille
- Wine: Beaune Premier Cru Les Sizies
- Vintage: 2017
- Appellation: Beaune Premier Cru AOC
- Region: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
- Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
- Vineyard: Les Sizies, Beaune
- Estate holding: 1.62 hectares
- Soils: Clay-rich soils at the foot of the slope
- Viticulture: Organic and biodynamic
- Harvest: Manual
- Vinification: Approximately one-third whole-bunch fermentation
- Ageing: French oak barrels, with a modest proportion of new wood
- Alcohol: 12.6% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 15–16°C
Domaine de Montille: Burgundy Without the Makeup
Domaine de Montille belongs to the historic aristocracy of Burgundy, although its reputation was built less on flamboyant wines than on an uncompromising devotion to terroir.
The family’s winemaking history stretches back to the eighteenth century, but its modern identity owes much to Hubert de Montille, who began bottling the estate’s wines under the family name in the late 1940s.
Hubert became famous for producing Pinot Noir with formidable acidity, restrained extraction and remarkable ageing potential. His wines could be stern in youth, sometimes almost forbidding, but they rewarded patience with extraordinary aromatic precision.
His son Étienne continued that philosophy while gradually introducing a more supple, expressive style. The estate also embraced organic and biodynamic viticulture, developing a particularly thoughtful approach to whole-bunch fermentation.
The result is a house style that values perfume, structure and freshness over excessive colour or oak-driven richness.
Les Sizies is among the domaine’s more accessible Premier Crus, although accessibility should not be confused with simplicity. Its personality reflects both the generous nature of the vineyard and the estate’s preference for preserving a firm, savoury backbone.
Les Sizies: A Generous Vineyard with a Complicated Name
Les Sizies lies at the foot of the slopes surrounding Beaune, where relatively deep, clay-rich soils give Pinot Noir a broader, fleshier character than the leaner vineyards higher up the hillside.
The name comes from Renaud de Sessie, a thirteenth-century landowner who operated important tanneries in Beaune.
The estate owns 1.62 hectares in this Premier Cru, a relatively substantial holding by Burgundian standards.
The vineyard is known for producing open, generous wines that can be enjoyed earlier than many of the domaine’s more austere bottlings. The fruit tends to be expressive, the tannins comparatively supple, and the structure substantial without becoming severe.
Yet the character of Beaune Premier Cru is not identical to that of neighbouring Pommard, where Pinot Noir often develops greater tannic density and a more muscular personality.
Les Sizies occupies an attractive middle ground between richness and finesse, particularly in a balanced vintage such as 2017.
The 2017 Vintage and Winemaking
After the difficult 2016 season, Burgundy enjoyed a more generous harvest in 2017. The grapes generally reached maturity without the excessive concentration of hotter years, producing reds with fragrant fruit, lively acidity and approachable structures.
At Domaine de Montille, the proportion of whole bunches was adjusted according to the character of each vineyard.
Approximately one-third of the grapes used for Les Sizies underwent whole-bunch fermentation, an important detail that helps explain the wine’s aromatic freshness and slightly herbal, spicy character.
Whole stems can contribute additional tannins and aromatic compounds, but they require careful handling. Excessive extraction risks introducing coarse, vegetal notes, particularly when the stems are insufficiently ripe.
The domaine’s relatively gentle approach preserves the delicacy of Pinot Noir while allowing the wine to retain a distinctive structural grip.
Oak maturation is deliberately restrained, with less new wood than in some of the estate’s more ambitious Premier Crus. The result is a wine whose character depends on fruit, acidity and the particular expression of its vineyard rather than conspicuous barrel aromas.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Bright ruby red with delicate garnet reflections. Luminous and translucent, with a youthful crimson core.
Bouquet: Red cherry, wild strawberry and ripe raspberry introduce a fragrant, open nose. Violets provide a delicate floral accent, while black plum and a suggestion of freshly turned earth add depth.
There is an attractive spicy undertone, accompanied by a faint herbal sharpness that recalls the whole-bunch fermentation. The oak remains discreet, allowing the fruit to retain its purity.
The bouquet is charming, but not entirely predictable. A slightly darker, earthier note gradually emerges, giving the wine more character than its initial sweetness of fruit might suggest.
Palate: Supple and juicy on entry, with an appealing combination of red cherry, strawberry and darker berry fruit. The tannins are fine but perceptible, providing a delicate, slightly powdery grip.
The acidity is lively and persistent, giving the wine a slender, energetic structure. A subtle earthy bitterness develops through the middle of the palate, followed by black pepper and a faint suggestion of dried herbs.
There is a pleasing contrast between the generous fruit and the wine’s drier, more austere side.
The texture is silky without becoming particularly luxurious, and the body remains moderate. Its limitation is concentration: the middle palate lacks some of the substance and aromatic depth found in the domaine’s finest Premier Crus.
Yet the wine has admirable precision, with enough tension to remain interesting as it develops in the glass.
Finish: Moderately long, dry and delicately spicy, with persistent red cherry, fine tannins and a faint earthy note. A slightly stemmy bitterness gives the conclusion a more severe character than the opening suggests.
Our Verdict
Domaine de Montille Les Sizies 2017 is a charming, finely structured Premier Cru with fragrant fruit, lively acidity and a distinctive savoury edge. Its whole-bunch character adds personality without overwhelming the delicate Pinot Noir.
The principal weakness is its slightly lean middle palate and dry finish. There is elegance here, but not the formidable concentration or complexity that would justify extravagant praise.
Compared with the more muscular reds of Pommard, Les Sizies is lighter, more floral and considerably less imposing. It also offers a different interpretation of Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir from the mature Volnay Les Grands Poisots 2015, with a fresher, less evolved fruit profile and a more pronounced herbal grip.
At nine years from the vintage, a well-stored bottle should be entering an attractive drinking phase. There is no urgency to open it, but its elegant, relatively slender structure suggests that pleasure matters more than chasing another decade of development.
A delightful Burgundy, though one whose charm is more persuasive than its power.
Price
€70.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
