The villages situated to the south of the Côte de Beaune produce a lighter, more fruit driven style of Chardonnay. Olivier Leflaive produces several cuvées from the villages of Montagny and Rully. Rully boasts 23 1er Cru vineyards. Les Cloux sits on a hillside above the village with a southeast exposure. Soil is a mixture of clay and limestone.
Rully 1er Cru “Les Cloux” is a south-east facing vineyard of calcareous marl above the town of Rully. The wine is fruity and elegant in its youth, with a nice but never dominant acidity. Notes of hazelnut and honey develop after two to three years in bottle.
After being mechanically harvested, the grapes are immediately pressed and destemmed. The wine is aged 12 months in oak (15% new oak). Following its time in barrel the wine is fined and lightly filtered before bottling. The calcareous clay soils of Rully sing through in a harmonious bouquet with notes of apple, citrus, almond, and ripe stone fruit, that develop into hazelnut and honey as the wine develops. This opulent Burgundian Chardonnay will age well for several years. Try pairing it with veal, seafood or grilled cheese.
“Shows fine concentration and intensity, with lemon cake, hazelnut and pastry flavours allied to a vibrant structure. Exhibits tension too, remaining resonant and energetic through the lingering aftertaste of citrus and stone. Drink now through 2025.”
92 points, Wine Spectator, Sept 2020
