Domaine Montanet-Thoden Garance Bourgogne Rouge 2023

Domaine Montanet-Thoden Garance Bourgogne Rouge 2023

Domaine Monthanet-Thoden
$36.00

Grape: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2023
Type: Red

This organic red wine is a pure varietal bottling of pinot noir produced by Valentin Montanet in the cool northern terroir of Vézelay. The estate sources the fruit from south-facing hillside vineyards that receive maximum sunlight to encourage optimal phenolic ripeness. The winemaking utilizes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous wild yeasts in neutral vessels, avoiding modern extraction adjustments or new oak barrels. The final cuvée blends two separate batches to balance generous fruit density with a regional identity.

It pours a translucent ruby color, opening with high-toned, juicy aromas of fresh red cherries, wild strawberries, and field flowers. On the palate, the medium-bodied frame is fluid and approachable, channeling a bright fruit presentation. Soft, fine-grained tannins integrate with a clean line of mountain acidity that keeps the mouthfeel refreshed. Savory underscores of damp earth add depth across the fluid core avoiding heavy weight.

Winery

Domaine Montanet-Thoden was created in 2000 by Catherine Montanet and Tom Thoden in the Vézelay area of northern Burgundy. Organic farming has been part of the project from its beginning. The roughly eight hectares are planted mainly to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with small amounts of Melon and Gamay, across the communes of the appellation. Limestone and clay form the vineyard setting, with slightly heavier clay in some parcels giving the wines a different shape from those of the related Domaine de la Cadette.

Catherine’s son Valentin Montanet vinifies and distributes the harvest, connecting the vineyard work with the family’s wider La Sœur Cadette cellar. The estate retains its own identity through bottlings such as the Pinot Noir Garance and the Vézelay whites. This distinction matters: Montanet-Thoden, Domaine de la Cadette and the La Sœur Cadette négociant range are related, but they do not describe exactly the same fruit sources. The wines offer a clear introduction to the Montanet family’s work and to the less familiar Burgundian vineyards around Vézelay.