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2020 Bourgogne Vézelay Blanc “Galerne”
Domaine Montanet-Thoden
Valentin Montanet’s wines are the most frequently opened and effortlessly enjoyed white Burgundies in our wine fridge. This vintage of Galerne is slightly more opulent than the typical Vézelay in that its citrus profile leans in the direction of caramelized lemon skin and bitter pomelo seeds as opposed to a puckery acidity. It’s no less mineral, however. The wine was vibrant paired alongside ripe La Tur—a soft, funky goat and sheep’s milk cheese. I’m still dreaming of how the cheese’s decadent creaminess enhanced the silky texture of this blanc.
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chardonnay |
Appellation: | Bourgogne |
Country: | France |
Region: | Burgundy |
Producer: | Domaine Montanet-Thoden |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Valentin Montanet |
Vineyard: | Planted mid-90s, early 2000s, 6 ha |
Soil: | Clay, limestone |
Aging: | Vinification and élevage entirely in stainless steel |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14.1% |
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About The Producer
Domaine Montanet-Thoden
About The Region
Burgundy
In eastern central France, Burgundy is nestled between the wine regions of Champagne to the north, the Jura to the east, the Loire to the west, and the Rhône to the south. This is the terroir par excellence for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The southeast-facing hillside between Dijon in the north and Maranges in the south is known as the Côte d’Or or “golden slope.” The Côte d’Or comprises two main sections, both composed of limestone and clay soils: the Côte de Nuits in the northern sector, and the Côte de Beaune in the south. Both areas produce magnificent whites and reds, although the Côte de Beaune produces more white wine and the Côte de Nuits more red.
Chablis is Burgundy’s northern outpost, known for its flinty and age-worthy Chardonnays planted in Kimmeridgian limestone on an ancient seabed. Vézelay is a smaller area south of Chablis with similar qualities, although the limestone there is not Kimmeridgian.
To the south of the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise extends from Chagny on its northern end, down past Chalon-sur-Saône and encompasses the appellations of Bouzeron in the north, followed by Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny.
Directly south of the Chalonnaise begins the Côte Mâconnais, which extends south past Mâcon to the hamlets of Fuissé, Vinzelles, Chaintré, and Saint-Véran. The Mâconnais is prime Chardonnay country and contains an incredible diversity of soils.
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.