Les Riottes
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A rare 0.75-hectare premier cru tucked into the northern edge of Monthélie, producing elegant Pinot Noir in tiny quantities.
Les Riottes is a 0.75-hectare Monthélie Premier Cru producing red Burgundy of notable freshness and elegance. Situated on the eastern spur of the village, this south and southeast-facing site is among the smallest classified plots in the Côte de Beaune. Its minuscule production makes wines from Les Riottes genuinely difficult to find.
- Total vineyard area: 0.75 hectares (1.8 acres), one of the smallest premier cru plots in Monthélie
- Classification: Monthélie Premier Cru, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy
- Grape variety: Pinot Noir exclusively
- Aspect: South and southeast-facing, optimizing ripening in Burgundy's cool climate
- Soils: Limestone-rich and well-drained, typical of the Côte de Beaune
- Location: Northerly portion of the main premier cru cluster, on an eastern spur of the village
- Notable producers include Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, François Mikulski, and Vincent Girardin
Location and Setting
Les Riottes sits in the northerly portion of the main group of premier cru plots within the Monthélie commune, positioned on a spur on the eastern side of the village. The vineyard's south and southeast aspect ensures strong sun exposure throughout the growing season, a critical advantage in Burgundy's cool continental climate. At just 0.75 hectares, it ranks among the most compact classified sites along the entire Côte de Beaune.
- Positioned on an eastern spur of Monthélie village, slightly set apart from the main premier cru block
- South and southeast aspect maximizes solar exposure
- Sits within the broader Monthélie Premier Cru appellation on the Côte de Beaune
Soils and Climate
The soils of Les Riottes are limestone-rich and well-drained, consistent with the geology found across the Côte de Beaune's premier cru sites. Limestone-dominated soils in this part of Burgundy encourage vine stress, concentrate flavors, and contribute to the characteristic minerality found in wines from the appellation. The cool Burgundian climate tempers ripeness, preserving the natural acidity and freshness that define the style of wine from this site.
- Limestone-rich soils promote drainage and vine stress, key factors in quality Burgundy production
- Well-drained subsoil reduces waterlogging risk and encourages deep root development
- Cool Burgundian continental climate preserves acidity and aromatic freshness in the finished wine
Viticulture and Wine Style
Les Riottes is planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, as required under the Monthélie Premier Cru regulations for red wine production. The combination of south-facing limestone soils and cool climate produces wines with notable freshness and elegance rather than power or weight. This style is characteristic of Monthélie premier crus more broadly, which tend toward finer-boned, more lifted expressions of Pinot Noir compared to neighboring appellations like Volnay or Meursault.
- Pinot Noir is the sole permitted variety for red premier cru production in Monthélie
- Wines are characterized by freshness, elegance, and mineral precision
- Style sits between the lighter-framed reds of Monthélie and the more structured examples from Volnay
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Open Wine Lookup →Producers and Availability
With only 0.75 hectares under vine, the total production of Les Riottes across all growers is extremely limited. Producers with holdings here include Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, François Mikulski, Vincent Girardin, Maxime Dubuet-Boillot, Nicolas Morin, Alexandre Brault, Claire Forestier, Gerard Boyer, and Domaine Virely Arcelain. The combination of small plot size divided among multiple producers means individual bottlings appear in very small quantities, making Les Riottes wines genuinely rare in the secondary market and on restaurant wine lists.
- Nine recorded producers share the 0.75-hectare site, meaning individual holdings are fractional
- Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey and François Mikulski are among the most prominent names working with this lieu-dit
- Scarcity drives collector interest disproportionate to the appellation's general profile
Red-fruited and precise, with cherry, red currant, and subtle earthy notes underpinned by bright natural acidity. Limestone minerality adds a stony backbone. The overall impression favors elegance and finesse over concentration or weight, with silky tannins and a fresh, lingering finish.
- François Mikulski Monthélie Premier Cru Les Riottes$55-80Mikulski is a respected Meursault-based producer with meticulous vineyard work and a reputation for precise, terroir-driven Burgundy.Find →
- Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Monthélie Premier Cru Les Riottes$70-100Colin-Morey's high-demand wines are benchmark examples of the appellation, combining mineral precision with impeccable winemaking.Find →
- Vincent Girardin Monthélie Premier Cru Les Riottes$40-60Girardin offers a more accessible entry point to Les Riottes while maintaining solid appellation character and consistent quality.Find →
- Les Riottes is a Monthélie Premier Cru of just 0.75 hectares, making it one of the smallest classified sites in the Côte de Beaune
- Located on the eastern spur of Monthélie village, in the northerly section of the main premier cru cluster
- South and southeast aspect with limestone-rich, well-drained soils; planted exclusively to Pinot Noir
- Wine style emphasizes freshness and elegance, consistent with Monthélie's general stylistic profile
- Multiple producers share the site, resulting in extremely limited individual bottlings and high scarcity