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Tasting note
François de Nicolay is a boundary-crosser. Having first sold other producers’ wines in Paris, he returned to Burgundy in 2001 – and became one of the quiet pioneers of natural viticulture. At the family estate, Chandon de Briailles, horses plough the vineyards instead of tractors, and he sprays skimmed milk rather than copper sulphate against mildew. His Rully hails from the Côte Chalonnaise, made from grapes sourced from fellow winemakers and vinified in his own cellar – without a single drop of sulphur.
- Colour & appearance
- Pale, slightly hazy golden yellow with greenish reflections – the unadorned appearance of a wine that eschews any cosmetic adjustments.
- Nose
- Open and unmasked: ripe pear, white peach, accompanied by toasted hazelnuts and a hint of fresh almond. Underpinned by a fine minerality reminiscent of damp limestone.
- Palate
- Taut and linear, with vibrant acidity and saline tension. The fruit remains cool and precise – citrus, green apple, a touch of white blossom. Not a trace of vanilla or buttered toast, but plenty of clarity instead.
- Finish
- Medium-length, dry, with a salty finish that cleanses the palate and keeps it alert.
- Terroir & origin
- Rully lies in the Côte Chalonnaise, south of the Côte de Beaune. The Chardonnay vines for this wine grow on calcareous soils – a terroir that delivers finesse and structure without heaviness.
- Grape variety & vinification
- 100% Chardonnay, spontaneously fermented and aged in used casks. The name says it all: Sans Sulfites Ajouté – no added sulphur. This demands flawless grapes and meticulous hygiene in the cellar.
- Food recommendations
- A wine for grilled sole fillet, young Comté or risotto with green asparagus. Also an excellent choice with roast chicken with lemon and thyme.
- Special features
- De Nicolay was among the first in Burgundy to dispense entirely with added sulphur – and this in a region where control has traditionally been paramount. The result is a Chardonnay that reveals Burgundy in its most elemental form: unvarnished, mineral and honest.
