Domaine Jaeger-Defaix, Rully 1er Cru Blanc, Mont-Palais, Burgundy, France, 2022

Producer Profile

Hélène Jaeger-Defaix took over her first vineyard in Rully 1er cru Mont-Palais from her great-aunt, Henriette Niepce in October 2002, and runs the estate with the same organic cultivation philosophy as that of her husband’s Chablis domaine (Bernard Defaix).

The family has a long history in the region, with Henri Niepce, the great-grandfather of Hélène contributing significantly to Rully gaining its AOC status in the 1930s, and helping to build its fame. Located in the Chalonnaise, only 100 hectares of Rully’s vineyards are classified as 1er cru. Farming organically since 2009, the vines have an average age of at least 35 years. The grapes are hand-picked, and pressing is slow and gentle to extract the best juice, with modest handling to preserve the elegance of the wine.

Viticulture

These organically farmed vineyards have an average vine age of 35 -60 years. The soils are perfect for the cultivation of grapes with great aeration of the soil. The plant density is about 10000 plants per hectare and harvest is by hand.

Winemaking

When the hand picked grapes arrive there is a full analysis of each cuvée and a severe sorting upon reception. The pressing is gentle and slow to extract the best juice. Slow alcoholic fermentation is made with natural yeast at 20°C on fine lees. Post fermentation the wine is aged in neutral oak barrels.

Oak Ageing

Time: 18 Months
Type: French
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

A golden yellow colour. Plentiful notes of peach and apricot on both nose and palate. This wine is delicate and perfumed with a rich and pleasant final.

Food Matching

A beautiful wine which will enhance any dish, particularrly well suited to fish dishes or with goats or comté cheeses.