La Soeur Cadette, a pioneer in organic and natural wines in Burgundy

At the Domaine de la Soeur Cadette, organic farming is far from being merely a quaint or marketing gimmick. Weed control in the vineyards is carried out without synthetic chemicals, relying instead on ploughing and hoeing throughout the growing season. These methods respect the plants, the soil, the environment and quality of life. Valentin Montanet produces his wines as naturally as possible, avoiding unnecessary additives.

In the cellar: no added yeasts, no chaptalisation, and minimal sulphites. Most wines are aged on the lees in vats, and sometimes in barrels. La Soeur Cadette does everything in its power to showcase its terroir and respect living organisms. The philosophy: crafting wines that reflect the climate, soil, topography, grape varieties and microbial life. “To make wine with what we have, bringing to it who we are.” (Jean Montanet, father of Valentin Montanet).

Vézelay, a distinctive terroir in the Chablis region

What makes Vézelay unique is the uplift of the limestone layers caused by the Morvan granite massif when the region was formed. The Soeur Cadette vineyard is situated on older limestone layers. These consist largely of the Bajocian, Upper Bathonian and Lower Bathonian formations, as well as the Lias. To this complex geology must be added the orientation of the vines, which is of course equally important! The estate’s vines face from south-east to south-west. This is particularly well-suited to Chardonnay as it means the vines receive the evening sun later in September. Ripeness is often better here.

A few photos of the Younger Sister in Vézelay

La Soeur Cadette in the Guide to the Best Wines of France

[…] the Pinot Noirs from Vézelay stand out. The fruit is very expressive, juicy and authentic in the excellent Garance, where one can sense the influence of whole-bunch fermentation, which enhances the wine’s freshness and the silkiness of its tannins. A real treat! More spicy and floral notes in Champs Cadet, a refined, velvety and full-bodied wine that holds its own against many more prestigious Pinot Noirs! Energetic and briny, the melon notes delight us, with a rich structure in 2018. There is plenty of vibrancy and freshness in the white Burgundy, which is briny, full-bodied and ripe. Three very distinct whites from the Vézelay appellation: sunny and dense, Galerne is quite compact. La Châtelaine offers generous texture, a certain warmth and plenty of depth, with vigorous and persistent vigour. Whilst the fruit ripeness is high in Piécette, its volume and energy are very convincing: it is a nourishing wine, full of vigour and character, and already delicious.