Domaine de Villaine - Rully 1er Cru Les Margotés Blanc 2022

In the 1970s, Aubert de Villaine and his American wife, Pamela, settled in the village of Bouzeron, well-situated between Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, Rully, and Mercurey, in the Côte Chalonnaise. However high-profile his day job as co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was, Aubert still considers himself a vigneron like any other, and Bouzeron’s off-the-beaten-path location left him alone to make his own wines without the demands of upholding an international reputation. The domaine was horribly run-down when the de Villaines took over, but years of studying this unique terroir have made them pioneers in one of the last forgotten enclaves of Burgundy. The monks of the great abbey of Cluny first planted vines here in the twelfth century, leaving a legacy that has endured for centuries.

Consequently, the grape variety that reigns supreme today is the white Aligoté—an unusual celebrity given its work-horse reputation in the middle of Chardonnay country. Bouzeron boasts the best Aligoté in Burgundy, the Aligoté Doré (instead of the lesser clone, Aligoté Vert) which gives smaller yields to produce wines with more expressive aromatics. Although the grape was overlooked until 1979 when it first earned the appellation Bourgogne Aligoté de Bouzeron, the INAO finally upgraded the appellation to AOC Bouzeron in 1997, largely due to Aubert’s advocacy over the years. De Villaine’s single vineyard Bourgognes, both in blanc and rouge, are equally outstanding representations of the unlikely pedigree found in this corner of the region. Domaine de Villaine—now led by Aubert’s nephew Pierre de Benoist—farms three appellations within the Côte Chalonaise, namely Bouzeron (Aligoté), Rully (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Mercurey (Pinot Noir). Their single-vineyard parcels are stunning examples of what this complex and amazing terroir can yield. Though their wines are quite enjoyable young, their ability to age well is what one might expect from a master such as de Villaine. Much of this is due to both the diversity of his vinestock and his organic and biodynamic methodology in the vineyards, both of which Aubert and Pierre stand by with great conviction.

Fermented and aged in foudre. Malolactic fermentation in foudre, aged for 12-18 months, with an additional 12 months in bottle.

Producer: Domaine de Villaine

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Rully 1er Cru

Vintage: 2022

Size: 750ml