Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé 2023 Domaine de Villaine | Burgundy

Description: Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé 2023 | Domaine de Villaine

The 2023 Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé from Domaine de Villaine is a characterful white cuvée, produced from a unique vineyard site in the northern part of the Rully appellation, in the Côte Chalonnaise. The name “Rabourcé” comes from Latin and means “upside down, backwards.” Far from trivial, this name refers to the climat’s position on the highest and warmest hillside in the region, opposite its neighbors Raclot and Cloux. This atypical location gives it its own distinct identity—sun-drenched and generous—within an appellation that often emphasizes rigidity and minerality.

Terroir and Grape Variety

The vineyard rests on white clay at the surface and a clay-limestone subsoil at the top of the hillside. This well-draining, structuring soil retains just the right amount of moisture to shape the wine’s aromas without weighing down the body. The vines, approximately 40 years old, sink their roots into this rock to draw out a subtle yet persistent minerality. The Chardonnay is in its element here: facing due south on a warm hillside, it achieves full ripeness while retaining its characteristic tension.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The wine estate has been certified organic since 1997. The hand harvest allows for rigorous selection at the plot level. Fermentation is consistently carried out using the native yeasts present on the berries, without any adjustments or interventions. Ageing takes place in large wooden vats and oak barrels, with a very small proportion of new oak for this 2023 vintage, to preserve the fruit and allow the terroir to express itself without oak interference.

Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé 2023 | Domaine de Villaine: The Sommelier’s Review

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin

This 2023 Rabourcé is a tremendous success. Its aromatic finesse, tension on the palate, and overall balance make it one of the most compelling 1er Crus I’ve had the pleasure of tasting from Rully. The climat’s high elevation—often perceived as a limitation, or even an indication of lower quality—is a true asset here: it gives the wine a fullness and strength that its neighbors rarely achieve. This wine will be at its best between 2028 and 2035, with ageing potential that could exceed ten years for patient enthusiasts. I recommend serving it around 12°C, without decanting for younger vintages: it unfolds gradually in the glass, and this slow evolution is part of its charm.

The Nose

The nose opens with lively notes of white peach and mimosa, bright and precise. Hints of brioche and poached pear then add an extra touch of indulgence, which the freshness of citrus notes infuses with a lovely energy. The whole remains elegant, without any excess of ripeness.

The palate

On the palate, the attack is full-bodied and straightforward. The generous texture finds its balance in the mineral energy that runs through the tasting, energizing each aromatic layer, whose persistence is remarkable. The finish concludes with a noble vegetal bitterness, the hallmark of great Burgundy Chardonnays.

Rully 1er Cru: Everything You Need to Know About This Appellation

The Rully appellation is one of the northernmost in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. It primarily produces white wines made from Chardonnay, grown on clay-limestone soils and well-exposed hillsides. Long overshadowed by the great appellations of the neighboring Côte de Beaune, Rully is gradually establishing itself as an essential terroir for lovers of great white wines. Its approximately twenty 1er crus offer a diversity of styles that few other Chalonnais appellations can claim.

The Rabourcé climat holds a special place within this region: higher in elevation, warmer, and more sun-exposed than most of its counterparts, it imbues the wines with an aromatic opulence and structure rarely found within the appellation.