The de Montille name is inseparable from the finest traditions of Burgundy, and Maison de Montille was created to extend that legacy beyond the family's own vineyard holdings. Launched in 2003 under the working name DEuxMontilles, it is now a respected micro-négociant operation that sources exceptional small parcels from growers across the entire Côte d'Or and beyond.
Backstory
The de Montille family's estate in Volnay traces its roots to the 1730s. Hubert de Montille, Etienne's father, rebuilt the domaine from three hectares starting in 1947 and became a champion of low-intervention, terroir-driven Burgundy. Etienne joined the estate in 1983 and took charge of vinification in 1990. He and his sister Alix co-founded Maison de Montille in 2003 to source and vinify wines from appellations the family did not hold directly. Cellar master Brian Sieve has overseen the Maison wines since 2010, working alongside the estate wines in the same facility in Volnay.
The Region
The domaine is based in Volnay in the Côte de Beaune, where it holds parcels in Volnay, Pommard, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, and Chassagne-Montrachet, as well as prestigious Côte de Nuits holdings including Vosne-Romanée, Bonnes-Mares, and Musigny. Maison de Montille extends this reach northward to Chablis and southward to Pouilly-Fuissé, isolating small, undervalued terroirs that the négociant model allows the family to vinify and bottle under their name.
Vineyards and Farming
Domaine de Montille converted to organic farming in 1995 and to biodynamic viticulture in 2003, obtaining organic certification by 2012. The Maison works with growers whose farming meets the family's standards, and the wines are produced with the same principles as the estate: purity, energy, and genuine expression of site.
Winemaking
Reds are typically vinified with 50 to 100 percent whole clusters, a practice that contributes to the structural elegance the domaine is known for. Whites are harvested early to preserve freshness and are aged with minimal new oak, usually 20 to 25 percent. Both ranges are guided by Etienne de Montille's conviction that great Burgundy should be aromatic, precise, and low in alcohol. The Maison and estate wines are produced side by side in the same cellar.
The Wines
Maison de Montille produces predominantly white wines from the Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise, including village-level and premier cru bottlings from Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Rully. Red wines from Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée are also produced. All wines share what the family describes as purity of fruit, mineral tension, and the restrained elegance that defines their approach to Burgundy.
