Domaine Marc Morey Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé 2016

It is always a pleasure to meet with winemaker Sabine Morey in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet. The daughter of Bernard Morey, she has been working at the domaine since 2003. I noticed her Young Winemaker of the Year award still standing in the tasting room, testifying her as one of the most respected vignerons. Of course, no amount of talent could spare her the ravages of frost and as a consequence there is no Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers or Chenevottes this year, while Le Virondet lost half its crop. In total they lost 60% of their production. “Still, you have to remain optimistic,” Sabine told me with a smile on her face, “and we had a good crop in 2017.

The Vintage

In 2016 the work was very complicated (because of the growing season and the small quantities to vinify) but I am positive because the wines are good after a lot of work. I never imagined that frost would affect higher vineyards like Virondot. I heard that the vines had been affected and only went up to look at the vines myself in the afternoon. We started picking on 20 or 21 September, I cannot remember exactly. I was worried at the beginning of the élevage but the wines ended up classic in style with good characteristics.”

Like her fellow winemakers in Chassagne-Montrachet, the range of wines was up and down according to how the growing season affected each vineyard. At its heart are a couple of superb Chassagne-Montrachets from Le Caillerets and Virondot that attest to the quality of wines at this domaine and their hard work. There is also a wonderful Bâtard-Montrachet but this was reduced to a single feuillette that will equate to just 70 magnums. Good luck finding one of those and treasure them because following the harvest the 0.13 hectares of vines were pulled up.

• Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

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