2022 Rully Saint Jacques, Antoine Olivier

Domaine Antoine Olivier was founded at the end of the 1960s, from a few vineyards left by Antoine Chevalier Moreau to his grandson, Hervé Olivier. Hervé began extending the estate by purchasing historic, old vineyards across Santenay, some of which had not been used for a century, paying particular attention to famous white wine vineyards. The quality of these soils is now recognised in a series of brilliant wines, in particular the exceptional white Santenay, something of a rarity in what is predominantly a red wine growing area. Today, Hervé’s grandson Antoine Olivier and his sister Rachel manage the estate. They are dedicated growers and follow organic practices in the vineyard. Their philosophy is to combine modernity with respect for the Burgundian soils and this stunning collection wines really showcases this.
The grapes are exclusively from the single vineyard of ‘Saint Jacques’ in the Rully appellation, the most northern village in the Côte Chalonnaise. Saint Jacques was one of the first named plots or ‘lieu-dit’ in Rully, which has become renowned for its high quality. The grapes are grown in mainly clay and limestone soils, producing round and appealing wines. The vineyard is managed with respect for the unique attributes of each site’s terroir and is farmed sustainably and organically, although it is not certified. Some biodynamic philosophies are also followed. The grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted prior to vinification.