SOLD OUT! The 2017 Domaine Jaeger Defaix Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé is one of the finest White Burgundy values you’ll ever pour into your glass. Possessing much of the style and nuance of a Puligny-Montrachet at half the price, this is new to the store and I bought every bottle my distributor had on-hand.
This highly-rated Chardonnay comes from vineyards in Rully, the top village in the Côte Chalonnaise. The vineyards here are only minutes from Beaune, and share a similar aspect and soil type with the famous Côte de Beaune appellations. In recent years, the reputation of wines from the best producers of the region have blossomed, thanks to the commitment of growers like Hélène Defaix.
2017 Domaine Jaeger Defaix Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé
92 points Burghound, 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
SOLD OUT
Husband and wife Didier and Hélène Defaix run one of the finest estates in Rully. All of the Jaeger-Defaix vineyards are Premier Cru and brilliantly situated, and all the vineyards are managed organically. The connection to the land, the vineyards, and the grapes is strong here, dating back to the 16th century. In fact, Hélène’s great-grandfather Henri Niepice was instrumental in elevating Rully’s AOC status in the 1930’s.
The estate’s Rabourcé bottling is always the Defaix’s richest and most powerful wine. And in the highly regarded 2017 vintage, both the Wine Advocate and Allen Meadows (Burghound) ranked this as the estate’s best white wine. This single vineyard is the estate’s highest elevation site and it is situated on the steepest slopes. The vines are old and their “stressed situation” result in a deep, concentrated, and complex wine.
The 2017 Domaine Jaeger Defaix Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé is a wine I bought blind…..that means I did not taste it first. When it comes to Burgundy, Mr. Allen Meadows (aka Burghound) never misses. And when I saw his 92 point score on this one, I bought a case. And after trying a bottle and being blown away, I bought the rest. This really reminds me of a top-flight Puligny Montrachet with its intense minerality and floral nuances along with its powerful, palate-coating personality. With all due respect to Mr. Meadows, I’d score this one more in the 94-95 point range. He’s known for being pretty stingy with his scores.
Here’s what the critics had to say. Meadows said “there is excellent richness and mid-palate density to the middle weight flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel, all wrapped in a slightly more complex finish where a hint of bitter lemon surfaces. This too is lovely stuff and worth a look.” And William Kelley of the Wine Advocate loved it too. “As usual, the richest and most powerful of the domaine’s whites is the 2017 Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé, offering up aromas of pear, white flowers, marzipan and spice. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, broad and textural, with lively acids and a chalky finish. This will merit a bit of bottle age.”
Yep, this is one that will reward both the patient and the not-so-patient. It’s delicious now, but it will be in peak form in 2025 and drink well through 2030. What to eat with this? Scallops in a cream sauce of some sort? Yep, that sounds good. Roast chicken with roasted root veggies? Yum, that would be a great pairing as well.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville