Tasted, for the first time at the domaine’s ‘newer’ cuverie in Rully, with Pierre de Benoist, 28 September 2022.
Domaine A. et P. de Villaine
2 Rue Fontaine
71150 Bouzeron
Tel: +33 3 85 91 20 50
www.de-villaine.com
More reports with Domaine de Villaine.
Pierre on 2021:
“I really enjoyed vinifying these, however, it’s true that the volume is very low. St.Aubin wasn’t so bad – 20% down – but the rest averaged 70% lower volume – it was savage. The frost hit equally the tops of the slopes and the bottom. The buds in Bouzeron had started to move and so were hit. We have 17 parcels in 9 lieu-dits but in 2021 we had to vinify some of them together because of the low volumes. Maturity, however, was never a problem; with only 3-4 bunches of grapes per vine, post-frost. For the Digoine there’s only 3 barrels – the other reds are very small too, so it’s highly likely that all will be blended as the volumes will be too low to distribute!”
The wines…
I was super-impressed by the 2020 reds at this tasting – in this vintage I generally have a small preference for the whites but today it was the reds that expressed themselves with an extra joy – good luck trying to find some!
As is usual here, due to their extended elevage, we looked at the ‘ready’ wines – so mix of vintages. All cork seals here.
2021 Bouzeron
Normally, 17 different parcel averaging 65 years old, but the oldest are 115 years old and the source of further plantings. In 2021, assembled before this year’s harvest and will be bottled in 2-3 weeks.
A width of faintly spiced, almost textured depth of aroma. Open, with flavours that are easy to assimilate – moving in many directions. Less demonstrative than many vintages until the middle and finishing flavours where the flavours expand over the palate with a fine mineral vibration. Almost chalky finishing. “Yes, in 2021 maybe we have a definition of terroir that’s more precise in the Bouzeron – the fruit is more obvious in the Clous Aimé.”
2021 Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé
Chardonnay from multiple parcels in Bouzeron with a little more depth of soil, mainly south, south-west facing – ‘You press chardonnay differently to the aligoté as the skin is less thick and spicy.’ Elevage in foudres and barrels. Probably to be bottled just after the Bouzeron.
Interesting – a more floral-perfumed character here. Fuller, more directly asserting itself. Some generosity – the alcohol is touching 14° here – but always with fine focus and, for now, the last suggestions of barrel can be seen today – probably not in another 6 months or so. Holding impressively long in the finish.
Now for some 2020s…
We go from south to the north:
2020 Rully 1er Les Margotés
The most southern of the 1er crus – but a zone that’s cold and windy.
The last hints of barrel musk fill the glass but there is much interest – it’s an invitation to drink. Cushioned in texture, slightly round but with a growing slowly more assertive shape and mineral underpinning – the finish sizzling with an extra direction and intensity. I love that finish – absolutely excellent wine – and I’d wait another 2-3 years for this.
2020 Rully 1er Gresigny
The next vineyard north after Margotés, generally with older vines – when we acquired in 2011 I considered replanting as I almost had the impression of abandonment but these vines were double my age at the time – 80 or so – and the quality of the grapes was just so impressive. These are always the last vines that we prune for the new year – a place for the massale selections.
Airy, perfumed, the oak already absorbed by this wine. Wide, supple, mobile flavour – the shape is very different. The finish, like the last, adds precision but stays in a width as opposed to the direction and intensity of the last.
2020 Rully 1er Montpalais
The vines that make the border between the cooler southern 1ers and those in the warmer north – 0.40 ha of quite young vines – about 16 years old. There is a proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté in this parcel.
Almost the combination of the previous two wines – only faintly showing some oak, almost perfumed and with fine clarity. In the mouth too, a wine of ample shape but properly constrained by a different architectural shape/structure. Generous finishing. Very good.
2020 Rully 1er Cloux
This mainly foudres and some additional barrels. Pierre pronounces the ‘x’ to differentiate between Les Clous! Nearly 14.5% here.
A different style of aromatic – here maybe a hint of different wood and a slightly savoury, perhaps faintly reductive nose – I’d give this plenty of air. Supple, generous but also detailed over the palate and as you move through the middle and finishing flavours ever more precision with an attractive purity to mineral-laced flavour. I’d don’t today love the nose but I do love the finish. Give this plenty of air, because the last drops in the glass are very attractive.
0.40 ha of young vines.
Not the widest but impressively deep aromatics with an implied texture to this wine – actually very elegant. Oh yes – this needs a little more time in the cellar to relax but the mouth-watering dynamism and rocky cascade of flavours, a little citrus-skin impression here too, are very very attractive. That’s an excellent wine and potentially a great Rully.
2020 Rully 1er Rabourcé
2.3 hectares. Like the Margoté, part-vinified in foudre. Older vines than the last, ‘almost an amphitheatre of vines here that always have the sun.’
A calmer, less forward nose but there is both clarity and a modest perfume too. Mouth-filling, the fruit balances an obvious mineral base and I have the impression of a little CO2 involved in the texture here. Clean and mineral, almost a hint ‘strict’ finishing – did I ever mention that I like strict(?)
2020 Saint Aubin 1er Les Perrières
Directly a nose of more volume and fresh energy – the fruit is at the core of these aromas. A different shape and energy – a mobile flavour – fluid – with wide finishing waves of flavour. Full of energy and delicious too – excellent wine.
Les Reds…
Organic since 2010 now changing to biodynamic. Two plots acquired at different times – with separate elevage – but the two are blended before bottling
Hmm, there’s really plenty of colour here. Volume of aromas – ripe, darker fruit but not heavy – there’s life here! Yes! Mouth-filling but with such freshness to the dark, ripe fruit – energy! The finish is almost juicy and has an extra, almost dried dark fruit, dimension to the finishing flavours – a hint of graphite-style minerality adding complexity in the finish. Joyous and bravo!
The third vintage here
Again deeply coloured. By comparison, here the nose is more guarded – just occasional flashes of clean, dark, fruit. Less direct energy but maybe growing even more juicy than the Champs Cloux and finishing just a little more chalky textured. Bravo again but a different overture… There is a little more whole cluster used in this wine.
This wine sold almost only in France – particularly in Paris – just a few cases reach the US.
A graphite minerality is visible in these aromas – the register deepening with darker but still perfumed fruit – that’s beautifully complex. Wide, with a texture of velour, always with a vibrancy of mouth-watering – again nearly juicy – flavour. Finishing ever-more intense and again chalky texture to the finishing tannin. A beauty – bravo!