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Domaine Jaeger-Defaix, France

Hélène Jaeger-Defaix took over her first vineyard in Rully 1er cru Mont-Palais from her great-aunt, Henriette Niepce in October 2002, and runs the estate with the same organic cultivation philosophy as that of her husband’s Chablis domaine (Bernard Defaix).

The family has a long history in the region, with Henri Niepce, the great-grandfather of Hélène contributing significantly to Rully gaining its AOC status in the 1930s, and helping to build its fame. Located in the Chalonnaise, only 100 hectares of Rully’s vineyards are classified as 1er cru. Farming organically since 2009, the vines have an average age of at least 35 years. The grapes are hand-picked, and pressing is slow and gentle to extract the best juice, with modest handling to preserve the elegance of the wine.

Highlights
  • Organic viticulture.
  • Winter and summer ploughing to arate the soil and bury weeds.
  • Minimal use of sprays, with only sulphur and copper being used if necessary.