Monthélie French wine appellation guide: location, history, wines, climate & soil
Monthélie is a small, often overlooked village of the Côte de Beaune in Burgundy, producing graceful, fragrant Pinot Noir reds similar in style to its famous neighbour Volnay, at gentler prices.
More info about Monthélie
Geographic position
Eastern France, in the Côte-d'Or department, about 7 km southwest of Beaune, nestled in a small valley between Volnay and Meursault, with Auxey-Duresses to the west.
Origin & history
Vines have been cultivated in Monthélie since the Gallo-Roman era, and the monks of Cluny owned vineyards here in the Middle Ages. Long sold under the name of nearby Volnay, Monthélie gained its own AOC in 1937 and has 15 Premier Cru climats, such as Les Champs Fulliot and Sur la Velle.
Wines & grape varieties
Mostly red from Pinot Noir, with notes of cherry, raspberry, violet and gentle spice, silky tannins and good freshness. A small amount of white from Chardonnay shows citrus, hazelnut and minerality.
Climate & soil
Semi-continental climate. South- and southeast-facing slopes of limestone and marl, with the best Premiers Crus on the extension of Volnay's slopes.
Wine region: Burgundy
Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir