Aline Beauné, a Quiet White Revelation in the Côte Chalonnaise

The La Revue du vin de France Discovery of the Year 2026 and the emergence of a lucid Burgundian voice in Montagny.

Each year, the Grands Prix of La Revue du vin de France cast light on individuals whose work quietly but decisively shapes the French wine landscape. For the 2026 edition, the Discovery of the Year award turns toward the Côte Chalonnaise, honoring Aline Beauné, based in Buxy. The distinction acknowledges not a sudden arrival, but the patient maturation of a winemaking vision rooted in continuity, technical rigor, and restraint.

Inheritance and Return

Born in 1979 and raised in Burgundy, Aline Beauné grew up within a family shaped by vine-growing traditions. In 1980, her mother chose to reclaim her grandfather’s parcels in Montagny, maintaining cooperative ties while gradually expanding the estate. This early exposure to pragmatic viticulture left a lasting imprint, anchoring Beauné’s later choices in realism rather than romanticism.

Her path, however, was not linear. Studies in chemistry led to a BTS in Beaune and an oenology diploma, followed by several formative years at Château de la Crée in Santenay. There, she refined her understanding of cellar work and élevage, developing a sensitivity to balance and texture that would later define her own wines.

Establishing a Personal Framework

In 2018, as the desire for independence became more pressing, the end of a long-standing contract with the Buxy cooperative opened a door. Beauné chose to take over the six-hectare family vineyard, committing to a project that would unfold gradually. After a necessary transition period, she assumed full control of the estate in 2022, acquiring a dedicated building for vinification and ageing—an essential step in gaining precision and autonomy.

The move toward organic viticulture began in 2024, reflecting a broader coherence in her approach rather than a stylistic declaration. The vineyard work seeks clarity and equilibrium, aiming to translate site and season without emphasis or artifice.

Whites Defined by Measure

The estate’s production is almost exclusively white. Alongside aligoté, several Montagny cuvées—including two Premiers Crus—form the core of the range. A single Santenay, produced from purchased grapes, remains an exception rather than a focus.

In the cellar, Beauné favors nuanced élevage. Stainless steel tanks are combined with varied wooden vessels, including an Alsatian foudre, selected to frame the wine rather than imprint it. The result is a set of wines marked by ripe, unforced fruit, a supple line, and a distinctly digestible character. Light is the prevailing impression—not in terms of dilution, but in the sense of transparency and ease.

A Recognition of Continuity

The La Revue du vin de France distinction places Aline Beauné among a generation of Burgundian vignerons redefining ambition through precision and discretion. Her work in Montagny does not seek to overturn conventions; it refines them. In doing so, it offers a compelling reminder that discovery in wine often lies not in novelty, but in the quiet alignment of place, craft, and time.