RULLY 2016

Production area

Village Appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise district (dept. of Saône-et-Loire). The vineyard of the appellation covers 343.46 hectares of which 2/3 in white.

Origins

Subtle differences in the wines are due to differences in soil, exposure and altitude, all of which vary considerably hereabouts. At heights of 230-300 metres, the hill-slopes produce wines which can compete with the best wines of the nearby Côte de Beaune. The Pinot Noir grape grows on brown or limey soils with little clay in their make-up. The Chardonnay grape prefers a clay-limestone soil.

Varietal

100% Chardonnay

Tasting notes

This wine is gold flecked with green, and the gold deepens with age. It is redolent with superb aromas of hedgerow flowers (acacia, may, honeysuckle, and a very delicate elderflower) as well as violet, lemon, white peach or flint. Time brings out honey, quince, and dried fruits. Indeed, this wine is full of fruit, which on the palate is lively and well-rounded, meaty and long. It has both the coolness and the polish of marble.

Vinification and maturing

Pneumatic pressing in full harvest for 2 hours. 24-hour settling then alcoholic fermentation in barrels. Stir lees once a week to develop the aromatic potential. About 15% new French oak barrels.

Food and wine pairing

The length, breadth and fruit of Rully call for delicate foods and tender flesh. One thinks immediately of fried river-fish, sea-fish in white sauce, or hot crustaceans. Its fruit means that it adapts well to hard cheeses such as Comté, and conducts an amicable dialogue with fine poultry in cream sauces. It can also be enjoyed as a pre-dinner drink.

Serving suggestions

Between 12° to14°C

Ageing potential

Between 3 to 12 years

Vintage : 2016

2016, if it is small by its quantity, is a great vintage by its quality
After a mild winter, nobody suspected that the spring would bring a polar spell hitting a record area of vines at the end of April with a devastating frost. The episodes of hail that followed on the Mâconnais and the northern parts of the Bourgogne region once again reduced the harvest, while exceptional rainfall also made things difficult in the vines.
Fortunately, June marked the start of a hot, sunny spell, and the vines started to get back on track. Flowering, budburst, and ripening happened undisturbed, and the weather at the end of the season was fine. Harvesting began on 20 September and continued through to mid-October.
Vintage 2016 thus offers some fine surprises with wines of potentially high quality. The white wines have fine fruit aromas, are generous with good body and will be ready to drink while young whereas the red wines are powerful, tender, concentrated and will be ideal for ageing.

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