THE DOMAINE
Domaine de Villaine, in the picturesque, wooded Côte Chalonnaise is co-owned by Pamela and Aubert de Villaine and their nephew, Pierre de Benoist, who has managed the domaine for over 20 years.
The domaine was bought by the de Villaines in 1971. They moved to Burgundy when Aubert was appointed co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Vosne-Romanée.
Preferring to live outside the Côte de Nuits, Pamela and Aubert settled on the tranquil village of Bouzeron. Alongside his duties in Vosne-Romanée, Aubert began to produce wine in Bouzeron too. Domaine de Villaine’s first vintage was 1973.
Pierre de Benoist comes from a wine family – his father Philippe de Benoist owns Domaine du Nozay in Sancerre, today run by Pierre’s older brother.
The Bouzeron holdings include some 150 year-old Aligoté vines. The domaine also has parcels in neighbouring Rully and Mercurey. The estate has been managed organically since 1986, with organic certification in 1997. The wines are vinified in barrel and large oak foudres, with practically no new oak.
THE WINES
THE 2020 VINTAGE AT DOMAINE DE VILLAINE
Pierre’s recent exciting expansion into Rully means that these three wines from the 2020 vintage are released now, whilst the 2019s Rully premiers crus will be offered separately in due course.
BOUZERON BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ 2020
Aligoté and Bouzeron are intimately linked by history. The domaine’s 17 parcels of Aligoté Doré vines cover nine hectares, of the domaine’s total 30. Bright apple and pear fruit aromas: as Pierre says, this is an aromatic grape variety, which really comes through this year. Luminous acidity, crunchy peach fruit and chalky minerality on the palate, with a long, perfumed finish. Vinified for 10-12 months in old oak foudres, the volume of each tailored to the individual plots. Bottled end of July 2021.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2022–2026
RULLY LES SAINT-JACQUES 2020
This is a south-east facing 1.7 hectare plot, on the plain, in the north of the appellation, on deep, rich soils. It tends to be the most flamboyant of the domaine’s Rullys, the peach aromas accompanied by tropical notes of pink grapefruit and tangerine zest. The yields here are very low, only 3-4 bunches per vine, with thick skinned berries, giving a high natural degree of ripeness. Rich and expressive, with white peach and yellow-fruited exuberance. Vinified mainly in foudres, all old oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2023–2025
THE 2020 VINTAGE AT DOMAINE DE VILLAINE
Pierre’s recent exciting expansion into Rully means that these three wines from the 2020 vintage are released now, whilst the 2019s Rully premiers crus will be offered separately in due course.
MERCUREY LES MONTOTS 2020
Following the first vintage of this wine in 1991, the domaine replanted this iron-rich plot in 1999 with top quality clones from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Deep ruby colour. Ripe raspberry aromas and exotic spices, very inviting. The palate has the characteristic juicy red berry flavours and grippy tannins of Montots, which are finely rendered in 2020. 80% whole-bunch fermentation.
Corney & Barrow Score 17-17.5
Recommended drinking from 2023–2027