Monteillet estate

Since the 17th century, the Monteillet estate has belonged to the Villard family, the most famous representative of which is Louis Hector, Duke of Villard, Marshal of France of Louis XIV (1653-1734).

Patiently, gradually, Stéphane Montez's ancestors, winemakers, mariners, coopers, animated by the love of the Rhône and the work of the vineyard, buy back plot by plot of land.

A notarial deed from 1741 shows us Michel "master carpenter on the Rhône and cooper" ancestor of Stéphane Montez, buying a vine at Monteillet.

His descendants, after the Revolution, continue their acquisitions.

Today Stéphane Montez succeeds his father Antoine, who passed on all his know-how to him.

Thus the Montez plant, vinify, raise and market their wines, on 38 hectares and four appellations.

Terroir

It is in these hillsides organized in terraces supported by dry stone walls called "chaillées" that the vines flourish and form thanks to their privileged South / South-East exposure.

The Chaillées were built 2000 years ago by the Romans. The terroir of the vineyards of St Joseph Nord, Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu are located on the slopes of the right bank of the Rhône.

The terraces of the domain are located on the eastern periphery of Mont Pilat (1434 m above sea level) which protects them from bad weather (the Domaine du Monteillet records one of the lowest annual rainfall in the region). They overlook the Rhone Valley continuously bringing a pure and light breeze sanitizing the berries.

The comb of Montelier flowing into the Rhone corridor regularly creates a fresh ventilation, preserving the aromatic purity of the wines and limiting the diseases of the vine.

The main rocks are "crystalline" formations, that is, plutonic magmatic rocks (Granites) and metamorphic rocks (schists, gneiss, migmatites).

Manual harvesting

The picking is done manually, in small boxes. The grapes picked at optimum maturity are transported quickly and delicately to preserve the color, smell and taste.

The grapes are sorted in the vineyard by the pickers and in the cellar on a sorting table in order to select the best berries. All the bunches are then destemmed.

In addition to the know-how transmitted by previous generations, there is the technique of thermoregulation, robotic punching down, destemming, sorting on a vibrating table and the pneumatic press. These winemaking techniques highlight the qualities of the terroir and grape varieties.

For red wines :

Thanks to the control of temperatures (low), we can carry out long fermentations (3 to 4 weeks) with indigenous yeasts (no external contributions). Pigeage allows the extraction of tannins in flexibility and also the extraction of colors.

Aging in barrels lasts from 1 to 3 years depending on the wine.

The hundred-year-old cellars (vaulted cellars dating from the XVIIth century) are reserved for the cuvées of great guards of the domain and bring finesse and typicity.

For white and rosé wines :

Vinification takes place at a much lower temperature in order to preserve the natural aromas of the grape and the terroir (flower, fruit, minerality). The malo-lactic fermentation takes place on fine lees in French oak barrels; it can last 9 months. Patience and delicacy are necessary for the birth of these golden wines.

The tasting area is open from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

It is advisable to make an appointment at 04.74.87.24.57