White Burgundy Revelations
7 Takeaways from Our Recent Friday Night Tasting
The white wines of France’s Burgundy region—white Burgundies, for short—should be the starting point for understanding Chardonnay’s potential for greatness. For all the bad-mouthing of domestic Chardonnay—and there are ample reasons for criticism—Chardonnay grown in the right places remains one of the world’s most compelling wines.
The enchanting region isn’t a whole lot longer than Napa Valley, so it produces the rarest and the world’s most sought-after red and white wines. It extends from Chablis in the north to Pouilly-Fuissé in the south, with the mighty wines of the Côte d’Or in between.
It’s no secret that early domestic winemakers were inspired by France’s white Burgundies. They ripped off the name of the most famous white wine import of the day—Chablis—to fool American wine consumers into thinking their generic blend was important wine.
And don’t forget that French wine judges couldn’t tell which Chardonnays were French and which were Californian in the famous Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976. Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Napa/Sonoma Chardonnay was the shocking winner of the groundbreaking Paris event. Until the 1980s era of sweet-tinged Chardonnays—De Loach and Kendall-Jackson were surprise Gold Medal winners and prestigious step-ups for the armies of White Zinfandel fans—the aim of most Chardonnay producers in California was to mimic the structure, flavor and length of the finest white Burgundies.
All that changed for sweet-toothed Americans, and with the screaming popularity of Chardonnay as a cocktail wine favorite when thousands of Chardonnays hit the market overnight with mostly mediocre and sometimes horrible results. Malolactic fermentation was initiated (because the French did it) on wines whose low acidity didn’t need it, resulting in buttermilky flavors that became all too prevalent. New oak barrels exaggerated oaky flavors to overripe wine instead of providing texture and subtle spice.
And many people got tired of Chardonnay. Not that the Burgundians didn’t play a part in their own marginalization.
The explosion of the American wine market in the 1980s and 1990s brought out a huge demand for Pouilly-Fuissé, so importers flooded the market with cheaper, harsher versions that rightfully turned off wine consumers, especially those with fruitier tastes. Pouilly-Fuissé, which Frank Schoonmaker described in the 1960s as, “Excellent dry white wine made from the Chardonnay grape,” suddenly vanished from American wine lists where they were once ubiquitous. Like everything else in commerce, there are good versions and not-so-good versions of just about everything.
But I am happy to report The Wine Country’s white Burgundy selection, under the loving stewardship of our French wine buyer Samantha Dugan, offers some of the finest wines available, often at a fraction of the cost of some of the more famous names in the region, many of whom have ridden on their fame alone, not living up to their lofty reputations.
This led to the nearly giddy reception at a recent Friday night tasting where I was left with seven major perceptions:
#1. White Burgundy appeals to a lot of people who have given up on Chardonnay.
I almost hesitate to tell people white Burgundy, for the overwhelmingly most part, is the source of Chardonnay. In fact, the grape is named after a wine village in the Maconnaise.
#2. The Macon region still provides the best values in Burgundy—up to the mighty Pouilly-Fuissé.
The best selling wine of the evening was a brilliant no-oak version we’ve offered for over 25 vintages.
#3. Comte Lafon is a force in Mâcon.
The brilliant Meursault producer has been making world-class white wines from the estate’s Macon project since the 1999 vintage. They utilize grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the region. The best news is that most of us can afford them.
#4. French Chablis wines remain popular with our customers.
That’s why you find so many of them on our shelves. Imagine, Chardonnay grown in soils from ancient sea beds. Any surprise Chablis tastes so good with seafood?
#5. You don’t have to pay stratospheric prices to get good white Burgundy.
Whether from Macon, the Chalonnaise, Chablis, or Bourgogne Blanc from the Côte d’Or, exciting white Burgundies can still be found without having to fork out three digits.
#6. Corton Charlemagne is the best comparative value of all Grand Cru Burgundies.
It’s a given you have to pay grand prices for Grand Cru burgundies, but the Grand Cru wines from Corton (both red and white versions) are priced much less than others with that designation.
#7. Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet are famous for a reason.
Alas, the big-three white Burgundy villages nestle around the region’s most prized white wine vineyards, and their soils, climate and grape quality produce stunning wines that have captured the world’s attention. They make miniscule amounts of these wines so world demand has boosted their prices so they become special occasion wines for most of us. But what a treat when we open them!
White Burgundy Wines of Note:
2023 Manciat-Poncet Macon-Charnay Les Chênes — $20.99
This has been our house white Burgundy for 27 or 28 vintages. The clean, minerally flavors continue to charm us, and prove Chardonnay, grown in the right place by the right hands, truly makes a great wine.
2023 Jean Collet et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre — $50.99
Samantha couldn’t believe this near-grand cru site could be had for about half the price of its competitors. Our tasters agreed. A bit riper than most of our village Chablis.
2022 De Montille Bourgogne Blanc Le Clos du Château — $44.99
We sold out of this wine at our Friday night tasting, but luckily our importer had more available. The walled vineyard located right across the street from Puligny-Montrachet produces remarkable wines year-in and year-out. Close your eyes and you might think the wine is twice the price. Subtle oak notes allow the Chardonnay to shine.
2022 Nicolas Rossignol Bourgogne Blanc — $57.99
A firm, stately version grown in the Côte de Beaune.
2019 Marchand-Tawse Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc 1er Cru Les Vergelesses — $75.99
I expected this six-year old rare white Savigny would be an example of an aged wine, but was shocked to learn it was as youthful as when it was first released. Firm, structured, impressive white Burgundy made in tiny quantities. This is a good example of the specialness of Burgundian Chardonnay. Very few bottles of this and the 2020 still available.
2022 Philippe Bouzereau Meursault Clos de la Croix Noire — $86.99
A gorgeous, almost ethereal Meursault only eclipsed by its premier cru stablemates from Poruzots and Genevrières. It is becoming harder and harder to obtain village Meursaults of this quality at any price.
2023 Borgeot Chassagne-Montrachet Vieille Vignes — $94.99
Most of our small importers sell out of village white Chassagne as soon as they hit their warehouses. We were lucky to acquire a few bottles of the old-vine white from Borgeot, a delightful, well-made Chassagne with excellent balance and subtle oak notes.
2023 Borgeot Puligny-Montrachet Les Meix — $103.99
Located below the revered Cailleret vineyard, Les Meix provides high-caliber fruit which makes subtle Pulignys that help define the greatness of the region. Don’t serve this too cold.
2023 Maratray-Dubreuil Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru — $165.99
This relative Grand Cru bargain is made in small quantities, and though it is grown in limestone-rich soils, doesn’t exhibit excessive mineral characteristics the vineyard is known for. With the expected amplitude in texture and length, the fruit has what the French call charme. It’s always a treat to indulge in a Grand Cru white Burgundy on the rare occasions we pull them out. Serve cellar temperature.
