A Chassagne Master Heads South: Under-$40 1er Cru White Burgundy YOU. MUST. BUY.
Posted on: 08/6/19 2:39 PM
Look, there’s a lot of hype in the selling of wine. Every other email floating about in the universe of mailers claims to be hawking the next emergent “cult wine” or the truest inheritor to the Coche legacy or that the winemaker is the reborn Henri Jayer, hellbent on improving on his already august legacy.
Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the story behind the wine is worth celebrating and underscoring, emphatically. In rhetorical terms, this might more accurately be called hyperbole. Some might consider it disingenuous, but, in fact, it is language put to public service. There’s a lot of noise out there, and when we shout, scream and oversell something, often it’s because we feel it has special qualities and offers unusual excellence, and we want you to experience it.
That’s the case with today’s wine. Frankly, there’s few, if any, white Burgundies from the Côte Châlonnaise that offer the kind of complexity, energy, immediacy of fruit and balance as JM Pillot’s Rully Blanc 1er Les Raclots. Critics have long promised that these southern appellations overdeliver and can challenge the wines of the Côte de Beaune. I have rarely found this to be the case.
Not so here.
Intense fruit, impeccable balance, length and breed, all coiled in a completely ravishing expression that will last less than 30 minutes once you uncork the bottle.
But what else would you expect from Jean-Marc Pillot? One of the best producers in Chassagne, his wide range of white Burgundies represent a high water mark in this competitive and delicious appellation. Many customers know Pillot’s distinctive “yellow label” means deliciousness. His wines have an immediacy and richness that seems to appeal to the neophyte, but the structure, terroir-expression and exquisite balance that are the hallmarks of the collector and sophisticate.
His efforts in Rully are no different. This 1er Cru Raclots is, frankly, ridiculously delicious. Unlike the Chassagnes that come from this iconic cellar, however, there is no need to wait here for anything to resolve. This is about as delicious as white Burgundy gets. And it’s ready to drink. Now.
A case may not be enough.
Rully Blanc 1er Les Raclots
Parcels owned by an old army buddy – only 4 barrels made. “Outstanding – ♥”: “A whiff of matchstick character sits atop the more floral and citrus-inflected nose. The racy, well-detailed and delicious medium weight flavors possess more evident minerality before concluding in a clean and dry finish.” – Burghound
Back to Blog