Domaine de Montille

A traditional French winery with a Californian side project – how does that fit together? Perfectly, when Étienne de Montille is at the helm: a winemaker who knows his roots and yet boldly pushes boundaries.

Domaine de Montille is one of the most prestigious estates in Burgundy. Founded in the 18th century and family-owned for four generations, the estate stands for elegant, age-worthy wines with soul. Under Étienne de Montille, the style has subtly evolved: the tannins have become finer, the fruit more precise, the expression more Burgundian. His philosophy remains clear: restrained use of oak, hand-harvesting, spontaneous fermentation, and a clear focus on origin rather than production method. Organic farming has been practiced since 1995, and biodynamic since 2005 – at a time when this was anything but commonplace in Burgundy.

But Étienne's vision extends beyond the horizon of the Côte d’Or. Together with Justin Willett (Tyler Winery) and Rodolphe Péters (Champagne Pierre Péters), he founded Racines Winery in 2016 in the cool coastal climate of Santa Barbara, California. Their goal: to produce Californian Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with Burgundian precision, supported by organic farming, early harvesting, and minimal intervention. The grapes come from top-tier vineyards such as Bentrock and Sanford & Benedict – names that have long enjoyed cult status in California.

At Racines, French rigor meets Californian openness. The wines are aged in used pièces and foudres, without fining or filtration. The result: wines of impressive freshness, saline depth, and cool tension – a counterpoint to the warm-fruited California cliché.

The trade press reacted enthusiastically: Antonio Galloni described Racines as "one of the most exciting projects in Santa Barbara today."