Montmains, from two parcels with clay over the limestone, is a powerful wine that’s one of the most age worthy of the domaine, up to 15 years easily.

A family domaine for five generations now, Lilian is the latest vigneron of an estate created in 1895, taking over for his father Gerard in 1999. After going to school and internships in the region (“There was no point in making Sauvignon blanc in New Zealand, I needed to know how to work Chardonnay in Burgundy” he says), Lilian has turned the domaine into one of the very few organic estates in Chablis.

The domaine is entirely within the Chablis and Petit Chablis AOCs and is planted solely to Chardonnay.  Most of the vineyards are Premier Cru (Vaugiraut, Vaillons, Fourchaume, Montee de Tonnerre, Montmains, Mont de Milieu) and one Grand Cru (Les Clos).  All vineyards used for village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru wines are Kimmeridgian limestone, with the Petit Chablis on Portlandian limestone.

Vinifications are done in stainless steel, then most of the Premier Crus (all but Vaugiraut) spend about 6 months in older barriques for elevage.  Les Clos spends nine months.  The Vaugiraut, Chabils, and Petit Chablis are raised entirely in stainless.  All the wines are fermented naturally and sulfured between 20 and 30 ppm at bottling.  Lilian makes some of the purest, most terroir-driven wines in the region. - Selection Massale