Domaine Jaeger Defaix

The story

The First Vineyard

In October 2002, Hélène Jaeger Defaix acquired her first vineyard in Rully's Premier Cru appellation from her great aunt Henriette Niepce. The acquisition catalyzed the founding of Domaine Jaeger Defaix and began a new chapter of family winemaking in Burgundy. Hélène now farms the same Rully slopes under organic certification. The first vineyard became the founding event for Domaine Jaeger Defaix.

From the atlas

Domaine Jaeger Defaix

A Rully domaine working Chardonnay whites and Pinot Noir reds through village and Premier Cru wines, with oak ageing at the center of its white wine method.

At A Glance

The Producer

Domaine Jaeger Defaix is a Burgundy domaine based around Rully, working Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in village and Premier Cru wines. Hélène Jaeger Defaix farms the Rully slopes under organic certification. The estate's white wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels before light filtration, while Clos du Chapître is described as a fine and age worthy Pinot Noir.

The domaine's wines cover both colors and several vineyard levels. Rully Blanc and Rully Rouge carry the village name, while Cloux, Préaux, Rabourcé, Mont Plaisir and Clos du Chapître appear as named Premier Cru wines. The range stays within a clear Burgundian vocabulary of village, vineyard and grape.

Place

Rully appears on both village wines and Premier Cru bottles from Domaine Jaeger Defaix. The white wines use Chardonnay, while Pinot Noir supplies the reds. Rully Blanc and Rully Rouge carry the village designation; Rully Premier Cru Les Cloux Chardonnay, Mont Plaisir Premier Cru, Rabourcé Premier Cru, Rully 1er Cru Préaux Rouge and Clos du Chapître Premier Cru red name higher vineyard sites within the appellation.

Premier Cru is a vineyard category above the village level in Burgundy. On these labels, the designation separates the named site wines from the broader Rully bottlings without changing the village name beneath them.

Soil And Site

Clos du Chapître is associated with ground of clay and limestone. Clay can hold water and add body, while limestone provides drainage and can help preserve acidity. In the glass, the site produces a red described as fine and firm enough to have good ageing potential.

Story

During the 1930s, Henri Niepce helped secure Rully's AOC status. An appellation contrôlée fixes the place and production rules that allow a village name to appear on the label. Hélène Jaeger Defaix, Henri's great granddaughter, now farms the same slopes under organic certification.

The family history therefore runs from a named contribution to Rully's legal recognition to present farming on those vineyards. The wines continue to carry Rully as both village designation and Premier Cru site name.

Vineyards And Cellar

White wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels for 18 months, then bottled after light filtration. Red wines age in oak barrels for 15 months. Oak barrels allow gradual oxygen contact during élevage and can contribute spice and a rounder texture as the wine develops.

Light filtration removes suspended material before bottling. The cellar work keeps the white wines in contact with oak for an extended period, while the red wines receive a separate ageing duration suited to their own range.

Wines

The lineup begins with Rully Blanc and Rully Rouge, village wines made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Rully Blanc is delicate and perfumed, while Rully Rouge has a fine and delicate palate.

The Premier Cru whites include Rully Premier Cru Les Cloux Chardonnay, Mont Plaisir Premier Cru and Rabourcé Premier Cru. The red wines include Rully 1er Cru Préaux Rouge and Clos du Chapître Premier Cru red, alongside Rully Villages Pinot Noir (Vorot). Clos du Chapître is fine and built for ageing, with a Burgundian Pinot Noir character.

In The Glass

Mont Plaisir Premier Cru white opens with stone fruit and savoury notes of sweet apricots and yellow tomatoes. Les Cloux Premier Cru white brings concentrated fruit, floral tones, baking spice and brisk acidity. Its vibrant acidity adds freshness and length.

Rabourcé Premier Cru is tangy and mouthwatering, with yellow citrus and white pepper. The combination gives the wine a lively palate and a lasting close.

Rully Villages Pinot Noir (Vorot) shows raspberry and blackberry with sage and spice, followed by plush tannins. Rully 1er Cru Préaux Rouge has a silky palate and a long finish. Clos du Chapître Premier Cru red brings lifted raspberry, cracked pepper and black cherry, backed by firm, sculpted tannins.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose Rully Premier Cru Les Cloux Chardonnay. The label names the village, the Premier Cru category, the Cloux site and the Chardonnay grape in one bottle. Rully Blanc provides the village level, while Mont Plaisir Premier Cru and Rabourcé Premier Cru show other named white sites in the same lineup.

Les Cloux is therefore a single vineyard Chardonnay with a clear place name and a defined position within the domaine's wines. It gives the range a fixed point between the village white and the other Premier Cru bottlings.

Anecdote

In October 2002, Hélène Jaeger Defaix acquired her first vineyard in Rully's Premier Cru appellation from her great aunt Henriette Niepce. The acquisition catalyzed the founding of Domaine Jaeger Defaix and began a new chapter of family winemaking in Burgundy. Hélène now farms the same Rully slopes under organic certification. The first vineyard became the founding event for Domaine Jaeger Defaix.

Final Word

Domaine Jaeger Defaix joins Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Rully's village and Premier Cru labels, carrying a family connection from Henri Niepce's AOC work to Hélène Jaeger Defaix's organic farming.

Sources

• https://artisanwineselections.com/producer/domaine-jaeger-defaix/
• https://www.jaeger-defaix.com/en/domaine-defaix-les-vins
• http://christycanterbury.com/publishedhere/2018/8/24/all-in-the-family-domaine-jaeger-defaix