2022 Xavier Monnot Monthélie Les Duresses Blanc, Burgundy

This white has breadth and toasty character, along with brisk acidity that gathers up the peach, apple and lemon zest flavors, focusing them on the steely finish. 

90 points Bruce Sanderson Wine Spectator 

The 2022 Monthélie Les Duresses Blanc has an attractive, lilting bouquet with shaved almond and chamomile scents. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, citrus fresh with a dab of ginger on the finish. Don’t ignore this little gem.

88-90 points, Neal Martin Vinous Drink: 2023 – 2028

Tucked just behind Meursault, Monthélie often flies under the radar, but Les Duresses sits on excellent limestone that can deliver real precision, and Xavier Monnot treats it with the same care as his more famous sites. Based in Meursault, Monnot has built a reputation for clean, terroir driven whites, and this is a great example of that approach in a less obvious corner of Burgundy.

Aromatics are bright and quietly complex, lemon zest, green apple and pear, with a hint of white peach adding softness. There is a subtle floral lift and a gentle savoury layer, almond, a touch of spice and a faint flinty note that gives it definition.

On the palate it sits in the medium bodied range with a fine, focused structure. Citrus leads, supported by a light creaminess from lees work, but the wine quickly tightens into a clean, mineral line. There is a sense of freshness running through it, keeping everything lifted and precise, with a lightly saline edge on the finish.

Monnot’s winemaking is all about restraint, careful pressing, measured oak and thoughtful élevage, allowing the vineyard character to come through without excess.

This is a brilliant match for seafood that leans toward purity. Think oysters with lemon, grilled whiting, or a simple prawn dish with garlic and herbs. It also works beautifully with dishes like crab linguine, a zucchini and herb tart, or even crispy potatoes with rosemary and aioli, where the wine’s acidity and mineral line keep everything in balance.

Drinking beautifully now for its freshness and detail, it will continue to evolve over the next five to eight years, picking up more nutty, savoury complexity while holding its line.