2017 Olivier Leflaive Rully Les Cloux

Olivier Leflaive was established in 1984 when Olivier Leflaive, a negociant, decided to make his own wine with help from his brother Patrick and his famous uncle Vincent, of Domaine Leflaive. Today the Puligny-Montrachet Olivier Leflaive domaine owns 30 acres of vineyards. There are Premier Cru parcels in Meursault and Chassange-Montrachet, as well as red and white village wines. Burgundy wine writer Clive Coates calls the domaine “recommended.”

Rully is an appellation and commune that takes its name from the Roman town called Rubilia Vicus. Of the 882 acres of vineyards in the appellation, almost two-thirds of the vineyards are planted to white wine grapes. Rully produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but it is also known for its Champagne-style sparkling wines, known as Crémant de Bourgogne. Rully produced the first Crémant de Bourgogne in the late 19th century, well before any other region in Burgundy started making Champagne-style sparklers. Today the appellation produces nearly five million bottles of sparkling wine a year compared to two million bottles of still white wine. There are 23 Premier Cru vineyards in the Rully appellation, and no Grand Crus. Clive Coates has written that Rully’s white wines are “lemony-crisp and floral, ripe but lean rather than four-square.”

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.