(© BIVB / Muzard J.P.)
Montagny is a commune in the south of the Cote Chalonnaise sub-region of Burgundy, in eastern France. The Montagny appellation was introduced in 1936 and covers the communes of Montagny-les-Buxy, Jully-les-Buxy, Buxy and Saint-Vallerin. It is the only one of the five Chalonnaise communal appellations devoted exclusively to white wines. These are produced only from the Chardonnay grape variety and are often fermented or matured in oak barrels to add depth and complexity.
Montagny wines are identified by the fact that they have a little more body and slightly higher acidity than the whites from other Chalonnaise appellations. This is the result of Montagny's marginally warmer southerly location and the high level of limestone in the local soils, which also brings a valued minerality to the wines.
At one time, any Montagny wine reaching 11.5% natural alcohol was awarded Premier Cru status. However, a more-modern system is now in place, which awards the status to vineyard sites rather than individual wines. This system is standard across Burgundy and is based on the quality of a vineyard's terroir rather than the merits of a particular wine.
Around 740 acres (300ha) of vineyards are planted around Montagny, of which two-thirds are classified as Montagny Premier Cru. This is a particularly high proportion of top-rated vineyards for a single appellation. There is no Grand Cru appellation in Montagny, unlike in a number of the communes further north in Burgundy.
