Vincent Dureuil is simply a superstar in Burgundy these days, albeit an unassuming one. Not only are the wines here unparalleled within the Côte Chalonnaise, but they also regularly compare in quality with the best of the Côte d'Or. This status has long been recognised by this grower’s peers and certain French critics and is now finally being acknowledged outside France. When you consider this reality and then consider how the prices compare with those of the Côte d'Or, it becomes clear why the wines are in such high demand and why export markets like ours receive such limited quantities. 

The downside of this domaine’s cult status has been that Australia’s allocation is tiny, a reality that isn’t helped by the paltry yields in Rully in recent years.

Vincent Dureuil is no overnight success. He has been working his hide off for 25 years in his family’s vines, mainly in Rully, with some small parcels in the Côte d'Or (from where both his Bourgogne-level wines derive). The usual quality drivers apply: excellent sites; old vines; perfectionist and strictly organic viticulture; natural fermentations; no fining or filtration; and fastidious cellar work. Dureuil’s hard work, in what is a notoriously difficult area to farm—he spends up to 14 hours a day among his vines for most of the growing season—has also become renowned; a reality that was publicly recognised last year when he received the coveted “Winemaker of the Year” title from the Revue du Vin de France. 

Despite the accolades, Vincent Dureuil is still one of Burgundy’s least-known stars outside France. The location of his cellar (and most of his vines) is well off the beaten track. Also, his name is hard to pronounce off the page (it’s Doo-ray), as is his village (Roo-Yee). But as Côte d’Or prices skyrocket and drive many to look beyond the famous villages for quality, more and more canny buyers and critics are finding their way here. Jean-François Coche was once reported to have said, “If I see his name on a wine list, I don't give it a second thought and simply order his wine.” We suggest you do the same.