Monthélie
A small hillside village between Volnay and Meursault, once compared to a village in Tuscany.
- Wine village
- 12 min from Beaune
- Red and white wines
- 15 premiers crus
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Appellations
- Monthélie
- Grapes
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 12 min by road (8 km), €65 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About Monthélie
Monthélie, pronounced Month'lie, is a small village on a hillside between Volnay and Meursault. Its narrow lanes, old houses and Romanesque church are worth a slow walk. The wines are mostly red, and share with neighbouring Volnay a reputation for finesse. The rarer whites are close cousins of Meursault.
The wines
Monthélie has 15 premier crus. Most vines face south and south-east on gravelly Bathonian limestone covered with red clay and marl, continuing the Volnay slope. Others lie in the Auxey-Duresses valley on Argovian limestone, facing east or west, between 230 and 370 metres. Reds from Pinot Noir are ruby, with cherry and blackcurrant, fine tannins and a velvety feel. Whites from Chardonnay show hawthorn, apple and fresh hazelnut.
History
For centuries Monthélie belonged to the great abbey of Cluny. In 1078 the Duke of Burgundy gave the village church to Cluny, and the monks rebuilt it in Romanesque style in the 12th century. A wide side aisle was added in the 15th century, and its spire, covered in Burgundian glazed tiles, came later still. The church is now a protected historic monument.
The writer Pierre Poupon compared Monthélie, pressed against the curve of its hill, to a village in Tuscany. Steep and compact, it has always been surrounded by vines, and it has kept its old houses and good cellars. The Monthélie appellation was created in 1937. Today, in the words of the Burgundy wine board, the personality of its wines asserts itself fully, in red as in white.
Well-known premiers crusLes Champs Fulliots · Le Clos Gauthey · Les Duresses · Sur la Velle · Le Meix Bataille · Clos des Toisières
What to see
Église Saint-Germain-d'Auxerre
A small Romanesque church rebuilt by the monks of Cluny in the 12th century. Its octagonal spire of multicoloured glazed tiles is the landmark of the village.
Sentier des Buis
This signposted walking trail loops through the village and past the church, then out into the vineyards, clearings and woodland around it.
Printemps de Monthélie
Each spring, local winegrowers open their cellars to visitors for a weekend of tastings. It is a friendly way to meet the people behind the wines.
Tips for your visit
Monthélie is small, so 30 to 45 minutes is enough for a walk through the lanes to the church. Combine it with Volnay and Pommard, or with Auxey-Duresses and Meursault just beyond. The lanes are steep and narrow.
Around here
What to combine with Monthélie on the same day, nearest first.
Guides about Monthélie
Questions
Monthélie is about 12 min from Beaune by road (8 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €65 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? An old proverb says that in Monthélie a hen would starve during the grain harvest. The reason: vines have always filled the landscape, leaving little room for wheat.
Sources
Monthélie with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests