Armand Heitz Rully 1er Cru Marissou Blanc 2022

Armand Heitz Rully 1er Cru Marissou Blanc is a white Burgundy from a premier cru in Rully, at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise.

Rully lies just south of the Côte de Beaune, where the escarpment breaks up into a series of low hills, and it has long been the Chalonnaise village most associated with white wine. It is also the birthplace of Crémant de Bourgogne, first made here in the nineteenth century. The commune has a generous list of premiers crus, of which Marissou is one, on limestone slopes that sit a little higher and cooler than the Côte d'Or proper. Armand Heitz took over his family's vines in the 2010s and farms organically, with a regenerative approach that brings livestock, trees and hedgerows back into the vineyards.

Serve at around 11 degrees with shellfish, goat's cheese or a simple roast chicken, and drink over the next five years.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: White Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Fresh, Restrained
Grape Varietal: Chardonnay
Tastes Like: Comparable to a lightly oaked Chardonnay, but leaner and more savoury than a New World example
Alcohol Percentage: 13%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Rully 1er Cru AOC
Region: Rully, Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France
Terroir: Limestone slopes above the village at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise
Aging: Whole bunch pressed and raised in barrel with little intervention
Serving Temperature: 11–12℃ – Serve chilled

Armand Heitz took over his family’s vines in the 2010s, working from Chassagne-Montrachet and Pommard, and farms organically with a regenerative approach that brings livestock, trees and hedgerows back among the vines. Vinification is deliberately understated, with whole bunch pressing and little intervention.

Rully sits at the northern end of the Côte Chalonnaise, the stretch of vineyard that continues south once the Côte d’Or comes to an end. It has long been a source of white Burgundy offering much of the character of the Côte de Beaune at a fraction of the price, and was for many years better known for the base wine of Crémant. Marissou is one of its premiers crus, on limestone slopes above the village.

Aperitif: Perfect on its own, or with gougères and light canapés
Seafood: Excellent with oysters, prawns, mussels or grilled fish
Charcuterie: Pairs beautifully with jambon persillé, terrines and cured ham
Poultry: Ideal with roast chicken or a light cream sauce

Charolais: A Burgundian goat cheese, chalky and bright beside the wine
Mâconnais: Small and lactic, complementing the wine’s freshness
Comté: Nutty and firm, balancing the wine’s acidity
Chaource: Soft and creamy, met by the wine’s citrus lift

Jambon Persillé (Burgundian Parsleyed Ham Terrine)

Ingredients (Serves 8 as a starter):

• 1.2kg cooked ham hock or gammon, in large pieces
• 500ml dry white Burgundy
• 500ml light chicken or veal stock
• 2 sheets gelatine, or 1 pig’s trotter for a traditional set
• Very large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 French shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 bouquet garni
• Cracked black pepper
• Cornichons and crusty bread, to serve

Instructions:

1. Simmer the ham gently in the white wine and stock with the bouquet garni for one hour, until it falls apart easily.
2. Lift out the meat and strain the cooking liquid, then reduce it to around 500ml.
3. Soften the gelatine and dissolve it into the warm liquid, then stir in the vinegar and plenty of cracked pepper. Taste before adding salt, as the ham is already salty.
4. Flake the ham coarsely by hand into rough chunks rather than shredding it finely.
5. Combine the parsley, shallots and garlic, keeping the mixture generously green.
6. Layer the ham and the parsley mixture into a terrine, pressing lightly but leaving gaps for the jelly.
7. Pour the liquid slowly over so it works through every layer, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. Turn out and slice thickly, serving with cornichons and crusty bread.

Traditionally made for Easter across Burgundy, jambon persillé is exactly what these whites are for. The wine’s acidity and citrus lift cut through the salted ham and set jelly, while its restrained weight leaves room for the sheer quantity of parsley in the dish.