Notes:

Producer: Domaine Jean-Charles Fagot is based in Corpeau, immediately south of Puligny-Montrachet and close to Chassagne-Montrachet. Jean-Charles comes from a Burgundian winegrowing family and studied at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune before taking over the family operation in the 1990s. His background is somewhat unusual among Côte de Beaune growers: before returning fully to wine, he also pursued music professionally, including recording in Los Angeles, and he later established the Auberge du Vieux Vigneron in Corpeau. Fagot works both as an estate grower and négociant-éleveur, which accounts for a range extending well beyond the domaine’s small estate holdings. Farming follows lutte raisonnée, with vineyard treatments kept to a minimum and harvesting performed manually. Fagot handles the vinification, élevage and bottling himself, with a traditional cellar approach centered on natural fermentations and barrel maturation.
Vineyard: The Rully Blanc is 100% Chardonnay from Rully, the northernmost major appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise. Fagot’s source vineyard is reported with a south/southeast exposure, and the Chardonnay vines average approximately 30 years of age. The soils are clay and limestone, characteristic of Rully’s Chardonnay sectors and providing the combination of drainage and water retention that allows the variety to ripen while retaining acidity. The vineyard’s exposure gives the fruit ample sunlight, while Rully’s position farther south than the Côte de Beaune generally brings a slightly different balance of ripeness and freshness. 2024 was a cool, difficult and notably small vintage in Burgundy, with persistent rainfall and disease pressure requiring considerable vineyard work. The reduced crop, however, produced whites with naturally lively acidity and clear aromatic definition where growers successfully brought healthy fruit into the cellar. Fagot’s 2024 Rully shows the fresher side of the year, with citrus-driven fruit and a firm mineral profile rather than the broader richness associated with warmer vintages.
Winemaking: The Chardonnay is harvested by hand before undergoing a temperature-controlled fermentation with naturally occurring yeasts. The wine is then matured for approximately 12 months in French oak barrels. Fagot’s broader cellar practice relies on traditional Burgundian methods and natural vinification, with his wines typically receiving 12–14 months of barrel maturation depending on the cuvée. The year in wood gives the Rully additional mid-palate texture without taking away from the naturally bright profile of the 2024 vintage. Production is notably limited, with approximately 3,000 bottles made annually according to detailed importer/merchant information for this cuvée. The finished wine is 13% ABV. Our own recent assessment of the 2024 emphasized its citrus-leaning profile, mineral intensity, freshness and cut, qualities that make this a particularly clean expression of Fagot’s white-wine style.
Technical Details: Rully AOC; Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy; 2024 vintage; 100% Chardonnay; village-level Rully Blanc; Chardonnay vines averaging approximately 30 years old; south/southeast-facing site; clay-limestone soils; sustainably farmed under lutte raisonnée principles; manually harvested; temperature-controlled fermentation; naturally occurring yeasts; approximately 12 months in French oak barrels; approximately 3,000 bottles annual production; 13% ABV; 750ml bottle.
Food Pairing: Seared scallops, crab cakes, grilled shrimp, lobster, mussels, roast salmon, trout almondine, sole meunière, roast chicken, creamy pasta, mushroom risotto, gougères, Brie, Comté, and Gruyère. Its citrus freshness and mineral edge are natural partners for shellfish and fish, while barrel maturation provides enough texture for salmon, poultry, pasta and softer cheeses.