The Domaine of Vincent Dureuil-Janthial is located in Rully, a small village in the Côte Chalonnaise about 10km south of Puligny-Montrachet. Rully is home to many picturesque views of the French countryside, ancient churches, and old, stone structures amidst the broken up parcels of vines. Although Vincent produces a myriad of Burgundian wines from various appellations and Premier Cru sites in the Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits and Côte Chalonnaise, today’s expressive Chardonnay hails from his Montpalais Premier Cru in the Côte Chalonnaise. In this long, narrow valley, sporadic vineyards are planted on the hilly terrain along the western edge of the Saône River. The river has deposited the special limestone and clay soil combination which blankets a large portion of the vineyard land throughout Burgundy. Unlike the Côte de Beaune, this region experiences more exposure to gusty winds, often pushing harvest back a little further than neighboring regions; this helps create full bodied wines with beautiful fruit and balanced acidity. 

Vincent farms his vineyards using organic and biodynamic practices. Guyot pruning makes for impressive views of far-reaching vines that receive ample sun exposure, while de-budding during bud break helps control yields. He plows to aerate the soil and isn’t afraid to trim the shoots to provide air circulation and reduce humidity. Decisions like these keep the vines healthy and happy, and in the end, Vincent is able to produce rich Chardonnay that expresses its terroir flawlessly. For those of you who are White Burgundy connoisseurs, you will be pleased to know that the 2012 Montpalais Premier Cru is reminiscent of top tier wine, though it doesn’t come with the heavy price tag. With incredible minerality, creamy texture and a bright finish, this wine has everything one would want in a great White Burgundy.