Domaine de la Folie - Rully Clos La Folie Blanc 2022

This graceful 16th century estate sits on top of the Montagne de la Folie, a long, high ridge considered in ancient times to be the playground of fairies and goblins, and a place where mortals dare not tread. The estate has been in the care of the Noël-Bouton family for three centuries now. It has long been considered a leading producer in Rully.

Domaine de la Folie is unique in the Rully appellation in that it is the northernmost in the AC and its 32 acres of vines are the highest in elevation. Moreover—and this fact leaps out in the context of Burgundy—all but one of its vineyards are monopoles. Lastly, unlike the main body of vineyards in the central part of Rully to the south, this northern end of the Montagne de la Folie sits on the same vein of limestone as the commune of Puligny-Montrachet, just over three miles away.

Immediately west of the domaine, the ridge’s flank falls steeply down to the village of Bouzeron, noted for Aligoté. To the east, the flank is a little more forgiving and it’s on this side that the domaine’s two premier cru chardonnay vineyards grow (it’s often said that virtually all of the world’s greatest vineyards face east). They overlook the old route to Cluny and a twelfth-century farmhouse that once provided shelter for pilgrims walking to Santiago to pay homage to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, a.k.a. the Apostle Saint James. Folie’s top premier cru vineyard is named after him. Below, the Clos Saint Jacques vineyard being pruned in February of 2023, with the old route to Cluny stretching out in the distance.

Jules Etienne-Marey, the great-grandfather of proprietor Jérôme Noël-Bouton, took advantage of the domaine’s hilltop perch to construct circular stone platforms in the 1890s on which to mount his revolving camera gun, a famous precursor to the motion picture camera. Those platforms still exist, suitable now for any mischievous little goblins that live in the pine forest that’s grown up around them. Marey was a professor at the College of France, and his contribution to society earned him a square and a statue in Beaune.

Befitting such history, the wines of Domaine de La Folie are decidedly classical in profile. Its whites always put fresh fruit and clear minerality front and center, while its reds showcase elegant fruit and structure rather than extraction. The domaine is also locally renowned for its well-made and aged Marc de Bourgogne.

Since the mid 1990s, the domaine has followed the principles of lutte raisonnée (reasoned fight) in its farming practices, plowing rather than spraying herbicides, forgoing the use of chemical fertilizers, and being conscientious in its applications of fungicides. Beginning in 2010, Jérôme’s dynamic daughter Clémence joined the domaine in a full-time capacity to take the reins. With her came her husband Baptiste, who like Clem has embraced the cellar and vineyard work with a keen intelligence and a whole-hearted commitment. Their involvement has been a dynamic change for this venerable domaine, and it doesn’t hurt that they brought in the same consulting enologist that their neighbor Aubert de Villaine employs. These days Folie may well be making the best wines in its history.

This walled vineyard--see the photo that opens this page above--occupies the northeast facing slope in front of the house. The current 4.7 acres of Chardonnay were planted in 1972 and share the clos with two parcels of Aligoté, a parcel of cassis, and a small orchard of cherry trees. Raised entirely in tank. No SO2 additions during fermentation or aging.

“Same vineyard as the Aligote.  Sweet, gentle and charming fruit.  All stainless steel but lees work has built texture into the mid-palate.  Orchard fruit with a touch of orange blossom.  Succulent and appealing.  Will deliver gorgeous early drinking.” - 90 Points, Matthew Hemming MW

Producer: Domaine de la Folie

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Varietal:  Chardonnay

Appellation: Rully

Vintage: 2022

Size: 750ml