Domaine Paul et Marie Jacqueson

The story begins in 1946, right after World War II, when Henri Jacqueson decided to bet on Rully at a time when almost nobody believed in the region's future. The First World War had left most of Rully's vineyards abandoned, and by 1945, only 90 hectares remained out of 600 in the 19th century. Henri cobbled together some ancestral land and began replanting vines. Little by little he acquired additional plots, seeding an estate that today boasts 18 hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, including 9 Premier Cru cuvées. He set his sights on the region's clay-limestone soils and created his domain from family-owned land. The terroir here sits in the Côte Chalonnaise, just south of the famous Côte d'Or, where the soils tend to be a bit warmer and drier than their northern neighbors.

Paul Jacqueson took over in 1972, followed by his daughter Marie in 2006, and she was joined by her brother Pierre in 2015. Pierre, a former schoolteacher, heads the cellar and vineyard operations, and leaves no variable to chance, even visiting the forest from which the oak is sourced. Marie is a supremely self-assured businesswoman in complete control of her domaine. Three generations working together, each bringing their own touch while respecting what came before. Paul focused on elevating Chardonnay to noble status on the clay-limestone terroirs of Rully.

The estate has been organic for nearly 20 years. Yields are intentionally limited to around 35 hl/ha through rigorous pruning, ensuring optimal concentration of aromas. They are one of very few producers in the village to hand-pick everything. Their soils are mechanically worked with no weed killers, because according to Paul Jacqueson, only slow and repeated ploughing properly maintains the soil. The red wines, like the whites, are laid for 12 months in oak barrels made by several Burgundy coopers with staves from the Troncay forest. Judicious use of new oak, approximately 20% for whites and 25% for reds, allows the fruit to shine without overwhelming it.

The estate spans 18 hectares of ideally situated vines, some of which are very old, with plots primarily planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Today, the estate covers parcels mainly in Rully but also in Mercurey and Bouzeron, with 55% planted with black grape varieties. They produce both village-level Rully whites and reds, plus a collection of Premier Cru bottlings. Les Cloux is certainly the domaine's finest red wine, produced from a plot of vines more than 45 years old, planted on fairly limestone-rich soils. The whites show beautiful balance between ripe fruit and minerality, while the reds bring finesse and generosity. Wines from Domaine Paul et Marie Jacqueson feature on the wine lists of numerous Michelin-starred restaurants in France and abroad.