They are making astounding wines and are by far the best producer of Rully in Burgundy's Cote Chalonnaise. I was shocked to find out that they were not in the United States. They are a cult wine in France and mostly sold to French wine connoisseurs at the cellar door. Most Rully wines are pretty much mediocre. But in the hands of a master, they can be incredible and like no other wines in Burgundy. And that's what I want. I want you to taste brilliant wines from all over the world that are all different and distinctive. Is E E Cummings the finest American poet? We can debate that, but certainly no study of American poets is complete without a review of his work; the same can be said of the wines of Domaine Breliere.
Rully is mostly known for white and the vineyards are 2/3rds white but when a Rully red works there is nothing like it in Burgundy. The 2012 Domaine Breliere Rully 1er Cru "Les Preaux", which can be had for as little as $29.99 on the 6-pack is the red Rully I have always been searching for but could never find. This is Rully at its most charming and aromatic. Very precise aromas of red damson fruit on the nose with a very dark color in the glass. Ridiculously aromatic. Such a unique aromatic profile. Floral, fruity and mineral but a confit-like fruit that is the freshest thing I have ever smelled. The palate is all 2012 velvet. Velvety tannins and a stunning mouthfeel. The attack is all 2012 velvety fruit and the finish is dry, mineral and earthy. Just an amazing Rully, that can be drunk now but Jean-Claude said will age easily for 7-9 years.
Rully, has made its name in white wines and Domaine Breliere has the best I've tasted with their unique nutty tasting, mineral and dense 2012 Domaine Breliere Rully 1er Cru "Les Margotes" which can be had for as little as $33.99 on the 6-pack. Damn, this wine is fantastic and proves that killer white burgundy from the backwoods can be just as good as it's fancy neighbors up north. This wine is a stunner. Just electric. It has some of the 2012 requisite fatness but also is a wildy spicy wine with, what seems like the trademark Domaine Breliere aromatics, that are always deep, penetrative and decidedly layered. The guy is an aromatic rockstar. The palate has that 2012 volume and is also lovely and so pure. Clean, rich, ripe from yields of 40 hl/ha this wine just works and works and works. Long, winding finish that is mineral beyond belief. Incredible inner mouth aromas and serious dense fruit backed up by terrific structure. A long echoing finish. You just want to keep drinking this wine.
Rully gets no love and Jean-Claude and his wife Anne sit high on top of Rully and as soon as Jean-Claude greets you, he exudes passion. He is all Rully, all the time. Some of his colleagues have Mercurey vines, as at one time in history Mercurey was much easier to sell than Rully, not that Rully is flying off the shelves either (it should). Rully is only 10 minutes south of Chassagne-Monrachet and has the same soils as the Cote de Beaune, yet gets much less respect than Chassagne-Montrachet. A shame, as these wines have some serious character. Not a shame, though, for the consumer, as you get startling values and the best bang for your buck possible. 2/3 of Rully is white and there are 23 1er Cru's. It is a charming, wonderful region that demands exploring from the novice to the Montrachet drinker. There are only 15-17 growers in Rully now and Jean-Claude is at the top of the heap with his dazzling, pure expressions of Rully.
Jean-Claude took over for his father and began to make changes like cutting yields, working much more in vineyard, and since 2010, being organic. He is not certified yet but he is on his way.
Rully is an appellation, that in the states is dominated by a few names. The most popular one, who I will not mention by name, makes thin, acidic and uninteresting wines for my palate, and the second most popular one is way too oaky and extracted. I knew, with all my heart that there would be real Rully in the Chalonnaise and I was going to find it. So I did my research and all roads pointed to Domaine Breliere as something I would like and more importantly something you would like. I was right. For my palate this is by far the best producer in Rully. The wines ooze class and terroir and 60% of the sales are to private customers in France, so Breliere and Fass Selections were a natural fit. I fell in love with these wines as soon as I stuck my nose in the glass. These are just such classic wines. Full of fruit, minerality and so bright, fresh and clean. I am delighted to be able to offer two of the purest, cleanest Rully Blancs you will ever taste.
The back regions of Burgundy in 2012 are the way to go for two reasons. They provide some of the best QPR in white and red Burgundy I have tasted in a long time, plus they are more available than Chambolle-Musigny or Vosne-Romanee as everybody wants them. I did work when I was there and locked up many many allocations.
2012 Domaine Breliere Rully Rouge 1er Cru "Les Preaux" - $32.99
($179.94 6-pack)
2012 Domaine Breliere Rully Blanc 1er Cru "Les Margots" - $35.99
($203.94 6-pack)
Mix and Match 6 bottles for lowest price
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