2024 A. et P. de Villaine Rully “Saint-Jacques” Blanc, Burgundy, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The vineyard in the "Les saint-Jacques" parcel is located at the foot of an east-facing slope, just below the Clos Saint-Jacques - one of the Rully's most famous premiers crus.
Planted in 1990, this vineyard is the legacy of an old Côte d'Or vineyard-it is made up of moderate-yield Chardonnay selections.

The charm of Domaine Villaine's  Rully Les saint-Jacques lies in its finesse and subtlety of aroma rather than its power. It is best drunk chilled, between 54°F and 57°F, after two to six years of aging.

The Domaine aims to produce, on average, around four bunches per vine in order for the fruit to coincide with the foliage (which is always a little sparse at the end of the season), thus ensuring optimal fruit maturity. This choice of small yields enables them to connect the deep, silty terroir of Saint-Jacques to the Chardonnay fruit. It gives the wine finesse and natural elegance, combined with richness and aromatic intensity, enhanced by vinification and aging on lees (mainly in foudre and 3-year-old barrels).

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Domaine de Villaine is a historic Burgundy estate based in Bouzeron, at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise. It is particularly important because of its role in championing Aligoté Doré and establishing Bouzeron as one of Burgundy’s distinctive appellations. The modern domaine was established by Aubert and Pamela de Villaine in the early 1970s. Aubert is best known for his longtime leadership of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, but Domaine de Villaine was conceived as a separate family estate. They settled in Bouzeron and acquired roughly eight hectares, with their first vintage produced in 1973.

The vineyards around Bouzeron are planted on hillsides roughly 270–350 meters in elevation, where soils are relatively poor and strongly calcareous. This naturally restricting vigor and yields, while the warm microclimate helps the grapes reach full maturity. The domaine is certified organic, and practicing Biodynamic farming.