RULLY BLANC

2017 Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru Meix Cadot Domaine Dureuil-Janthial

EN PRIMEUR

Very old vines. Smokey mineral nose, palate sleek, supple, so mineral and full of character and flavour - very straight and with good density on the finish - rather amazing. Drinking range: 2021 - L&S (Dec 2018)

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(from a 1.2 ha holding). Here the wood influence is no longer subtle though it’s not so intrusive as to overshadow the notably ripe and overtly floral liqueur-like aromas of spiced pear and apple. There is fine density as well as excellent punch to the very rich yet reasonably well-detailed flavors that possess excellent length though this will need to develop a bit more depth to fully merit my rating. With that said, the underlying material appears to be present for that to occur and provided you have the patience, this is recommended. Drinking range: 2024 - Rating: 91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2020)

The 2017 Rully 1er Cru Meix Cadot Vieilles Vignes is also immensely promising, revealing a complex bouquet of fresh pears, blanched almonds, citrus oil and vanilla pod. On the palate, it's full-bodied, multidimensional and textural, with considerable power, concentration and breadth, displaying the tension and cut that distinguish the vintage at this address despite its large-scaled profile, concluding with a long, expansive finish. Broader-shouldered and more impactful than the more tensile and incisive Gresigny Vieilles Vignes, it's hard to know which of Dureuil's two finest white cuvées will have the edge in ten years, but I will certainly be able to answer that question from my own cellar. Drinking range: 2024 - 2050 Rating: 95 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Aug 2019)

A little more evidence of oak on the nose though it is subtle. That creamy richness on the palate balances the crisp acidity and gives a more harmonious and versatile wine than the straight Rully. Drinking range: 2019 - 2022 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2019)

The 2017 Rully Vieilles Vignes Meix Cadet 1er Cru offers scents of lime cordial and hints of red cherry on the nose - what you might call a crowd-pleaser. The palate is sharp on the entry, offering sour lemon and orange peel and moderate weight, but it needs a little more harmony toward the finish. Fine. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 88 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jan 2019)

One of the sunnier spots in Vincent Dureuil's Rully holdings, Meix Cadot consistently produces an impressive white with plenty of texture. It's spicy and appealing, with flavours of tangerine, vanilla oak, creamy lees and supporting acidity. Long and refreshing. Drinking range: 2019 - 2021 Rating: 92 Tim Atkin MW - Decanter (Oct 2018)

Domaine Dureuil-Janthial is simply the leading domaine of the Côte Chalonnaise. What is more, the astonishing Vincent Dureuil is equally adept at making both white and red wines. Vincent inherited from the Janthial side of his family, who have been in Rully since the eighteenth century. Vincent and his wife Céline took over in 1994. As they say 'because wine is first grown in the vineyard, we have chosen to respect the land and let the soils and vineyards live, to produce committed and accurate wines, of great purity and a frank personality.'

The domaine now extends to 20 hectares, 17 in the Côte Chalonnaise (primarily Rully and Mercurey) with 3 hectares in the Côte d'Or, including vines inherited by Céline in Nuits Saint Georges, and some inherited by Vincent in Puligny. The domaine was originally certified organic in 2009, but after short harvests in 2012 and 2013, Vincent was forced by a late attack of mildew in 2016 to spray with fungicide. The result was that he saved 5 hectares out of the 20, but lost his certification. Stubbornly he immediately set about the three years of 'conversion' and is now certified again.

At the harvest all the grapes are hand-picked into small cases for transport to the winery. The white wines are pressed hard - although he is clear that for this the grapes have to be ripe and in perfect condition, he believes it's necessary with Chardonnay to get into the solid matter of the grape. The juice is allowed to oxidise under the press and S02 is only added 12 hours after the pressing, so that a dark brown liquid, after the settling out, is what goes into barrel where it will be clarified by the fermentation. The barrels are also chosen with great care - they are there to bring out the minerality, to add a touch of density, and they are minimally toasted. The whites get up to 20% new wood, the reds up to 30%.

The vinification of the reds takes place after an intense selection in the vineyard and at the sorting table. For now, despite experiments with some whole-bunch fermentations, Vincent destems almost everything. The grapes go into old open-topped wooden vats and are held at 6C for around eight days of cold maceration before a classic fermentation that reaches up to 34C. After the fermentation they go into barrel for a year, before bottling by March of the year after.

Watch the video introducing Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial.

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