INTRODUCTION
We are delighted to offer the in-bottle 2020 vintage of Domaine de Villaine’s Rully 1ers Crus.
This is our third vintage as exclusive UK agent for Domaine de Villaine’s 1er Cru Rullys. Building on our longstanding and close relationship with both Pierre de Benoist and his uncle Aubert de Villaine, we were delighted to bring these wines into the C&B family and to tell the story of the intricacies of the terroir of Rully.
From the southerly Montpalais, Margotés and Grésigny vineyards to the warmer north-eastern Rabourcé, Raclot and Cloux, each of these tiny, biodynamically farmed sites has its own personality. These are great wines, which will open your eyes to the magic of Côte Chalonnaise Chardonnay.
The order of the tasting notes here runs south-to-north, starting with the cooler sites in southern Rully and ending with the warmer vineyards in the north of the appellation. In Pierre’s opinion, the move from south to north represents a transition from “seed to flesh” of the grape.
THE 2020 GROWING SEASON IN THE WORDS OF PIERRE DE BENOIST
“The exceptional quality of this 2020 vintage is due to the incredible health of the vines and fruit. The vines were able to find their rightful place between earth and sky…”
PIERRE DE BENOIST, NOVEMBER 2022
With this 2020 vintage, the weather was an important ally. It enabled us to keep a good working pace, to pick ripe berries, to choose the best harvest dates and to vinify in favourable conditions.
This rhythm linked together the energy of the soil, that holds the nourishing water essential in ‘solar’ vintages like 2020 and the energy of the vines which were able to absorb the sunlight and better ‘digest’ it.
Following the 2019 harvest in Burgundy, the Indian summer continued throughout October and early November with mild and moderate temperatures. The combination of ploughing and working of the soils, which remained soft and humid, was carried out under very good conditions. The application of biodynamic treatments enabled us to improve the structure of the soils, to promote microbial activity and the vertical development of the roots towards the world below.
Even if at the end of March, a strong Scandinavian anticyclone caused a clear drop in temperatures with cold and dry air, the weather remained particularly mild and early April favoured the premature start of vegetative growth and a rapid completion of budbreak.
At this stage, 2020 was around a week in advance of the 2019 vintage. April’s mild temperatures quickly exceeded seasonal norms (+3.5°C versus normal) and the vines escaped the Saints de Glace period (12th-15th May) unharmed, when temperatures often drop.
This hot, bright, dry weather continued in May and allowed for a rapid flowering, promoting pollination and fertilisation of the future berries. June remained dry and warm. The vines grew at an astronomical rate.
During July and August, some thunderstorms led us to fear the worst but were in the end harmless, ultimately providing much-needed water. Despite everything, sunny weather dominated, with a heatwave from 6th to 13th August. In these conditions, véraison (colour change) slowed down, finally finishing in mid-August.
At the same time, the heat, the little bit of humidity and this atmospheric light allowed good photosynthesis and kept disease pressure at bay. Once again, the team, backed by the experience acquired over the recent hot vintages, were able to work in harmony with the vines, following their quick development, working the soils at the right time, applying herbal teas and treatments when necessary.
We started maturity checks at the end of July. Ripening continued until mid-August at a different pace from one plot to the next, according to the level of rainfall received and the physiological state of each vine. Despite the warm temperatures, the tartaric acidity remained high.
Upon tasting the Chardonnay berries, we noticed large differences in maturity from plot to plot, later to be reduced as harvest approached. The acidity was pronounced, and the sugar enveloped it beautifully, making for a good balance.
We began picking on Wednesday 26th August, under beautiful weather conditions. Harvest lasted 10 days. The exceptional quality of this 2020 vintage is due to the incredible health of the vines and fruit. The vines were able to find their rightful place between earth and sky, between the terrestrial and vegetative forces (terroir and plant), with astral forces from the application of biodynamic treatments.
THE WINES
RULLY 1ER CRU LES MARGOTÉS 2020
Margotés is the domaine’s southernmost Rully vineyard, with a core of 80 year-old vines, surrounded by plantings from the 1960s. Pierre has one hectare here, in three plots. Ripe, intense stone-fruit and pastry aromas. The palate is chalky-mineral and full of nervy energy. Almonds and bitter phenolics from the thick skins on the finish. Around 80% is vinified in large foudres, with the remainder in barrels, the latter including a small proportion of new oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2029
£315/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
RULLY 1ER CRU GRÉSIGNY 2020
A 0.55 hectare plot of venerable 80+ year-old vines on rocky clay and limestone, bought ‘blind’ by Pierre in 2011, such is its reputation as one of the finest vineyards in Rully. Pierre says that he has learnt a lot from the vines of Grésigny, and its small, millerand berries. Flinty and with tensile acidity, this is a wine of line and drive, with pepper and white flowers persisting on the finish. Vinified mostly in barrels, with two demi-muids (one of which was new in 2020).
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2029
£325/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
RULLY 1ER CRU MONTPALAIS 2020
“The exact opposite of Gresigny”, according to Pierre, who says that this is where the warmer northern sector of Rully meets the cooler south. The domaine’s Montpalais, made since 2016, is just under 0.4 hectares and is planted with vines of around 15 years of age. There is some 10% Chardonnay Muscaté here, a clone with a floral, exotic edge, bringing a little aromatic flair. White pepper and spicy white peach fruit make for an outgoing wine, lifted by lemony, taut acidity. Eight old oak barrels and one new oak demi-muid were filled in 2020, equating to 3,000 bottles.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2028
£325/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
RULLY 1ER CRU LES CLOUX 2020
2020 is Domaine de Villaine’s third vintage of Les Cloux. The domaine has 1.11 hectares here, across two steep east-facing plots, with deep stony clay-limestone soils. Pierre confesses this is a favourite, with a “silhouette of Puligny-Montrachet”. White fruits and white peppery spice, highly classical, rounded out by a touch of cedary richness. Aged in a combination of barrels and demi-muids.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2029
£315/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
RULLY 1ER CRU RACLOT 2020
2020 is Domaine de Villaine’s third vintage of Raclot, which previously formed part of Domaine Saint-Michel. This is a 0.42-hectare plot, the oldest vines of which are 35-40 years old. A wine of tender, supple white peach fruit, ingratiatingly giving. As Pierre put it, a “romantic wine”. Vinified in one new demi-muid and old oak barrels.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2028
£325/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK
RULLY 1ER CRU RABOURCÉ 2020
As for Cloux and Raclot, 2020 is Domaine de Villaine’s third vintage of Rabourcé, an amphitheatre-shaped vineyard which was one of the first sites settled in Rully. It is the warmest of the domaine’s Rully vineyards, with white clay soils. This is a 2.36 hectare holding, spread over three plots. Generous and supple, with a taut line of lemony acidity running through the fleshy stone-fruit. Salty-mineral on the finish, with a lovely granularity. Vinified 60% in large old oak foudres with the remainder in barrels and demi-muids.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2028+
£315/CASE OF 6 BOTTLES, IN BOND UK