Rully 1er Cru Champs Cloux red 2023 Domaine de Villaine | Burgundy

Description: Rully 1er Cru Champs Cloux Red 2023 | Domaine de Villaine

The Rully 1er Cru Champs Cloux Red 2023 is one of Domaine de Villaine’s most prized cuvées. This Burgundy wine estate embodies a certain philosophy of winemaking integrity: intervening as little as possible and allowing the terroir to express itself fully. The Les Champs Cloux vineyard is located on the hillside known as “du Château,” right in the heart of the village of Rully. It is a low-key spot, but one whose reputation grows with every vintage.

Terroir and Grape Variety

The south-facing exposure of the Les Champs Cloux vineyard promotes even ripening of the Pinot Noir. The clay-limestone soil is both well-draining and structuring: it retains just the right amount of water, while forcing the vines to dig deep to draw water. This type of terroir gives the wine a structure that is both supple and taut. Dense in its youth, the wine has an aging potential of 8 to 10 years. There is no doubt that, over time, it will gradually reveal a complexity worthy of the great wines of the Côte Chalonnaise.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The wine estate practices certifiedorganic farming, combined with a biodynamic approach. The hand harvest is entirely manual, with rigorous selection in the vineyard. Fermentation is carried out exclusively by indigenous yeasts, without any correction or oenological additives. A 20% proportion of whole-bunch grapes adds freshness and depth to the wine. Maceration lasts between 15 and 20 days, with a focus on gentle extraction. The wine then undergoes ageing in oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, with 20 to 30% new oak: just enough to provide structure without masking the terroir.

Rully 1er Cru Champs Cloux Red 2023 | Domaine de Villaine: The Sommelier’s Opinion

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin The Côte Chalonnaise remains underrated compared to its neighbors in the Côte de Nuits. That is precisely what makes this Rully 1er Cru so interesting. The 2023 vintage has produced delicious wines, characterized by beautifully ripe fruit without any heaviness. Here, biodynamic practices and minimal intervention in the cellar preserve an energy that many more famous Burgundies have lost. A Premier Cru to enjoy between 2028 and 2033, though it’s already remarkable after a light decanting of about 20 minutes at 16°C.

The Nose

The nose opens with crisp red fruits, fresh cherry, and a slightly spicy raspberry. An almost briny note runs through the aromatic profile, a sign of a well-expressed limestone terroir. The overall impression is clean, precise, and unadorned.

Palate

On the palate, the attack is clean and rich. The wine possesses a lovely roundness, supported by refined tannins that do not make the wine harsh. The acidity adds energy without being aggressive. The finish is fresh and persistent, with a mineral edge that recalls the limestone origin of the soil.

Rully 1er Cru: A Côte Chalonnaise Appellation Worth Discovering

Rully is an appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy that produces both red wines made from Pinot Noir and white wines made from Chardonnay. Its Premiers Crus are renowned for their balance between approachability and ageing potential. Less well-known than Gevrey or Volnay, the appellation offers a genuine window into Burgundian Pinot Noir, on a scale that still feels intimate.

The Les Champs Cloux vineyard is among the most interesting in the appellation: its south-facing exposure and clay-limestone soil produce wines that are both fruity and structured, representative of Rully’s precise and expressive style. The work of Domaine de Villaine adds the extra dimension of meticulous and dedicated viticulture, which nurtures the expression of the terroir as if it were a precious jewel.