Value and Burgundy, together in the same sentence? Yes, indeed. We've spent the past six months curating an exceptional roster of overperforming gems that deliver all the class and terroir expression that white Burgundy fans crave, while still coming in at surprisingly affordable pricing.
Our direct-import portfolio is at the heart of this selection, starting with the 2023 Chavy-Chouet Bourgogne Blanc Les Femelottes, a compelling entry-level charmer that boasts great pedigree, as it hails from a 3-hectare parcel of high-density plantings bordering the official Puligny appellation. Refined and expressive, it's a superb introduction to a rising-star domaine in the Cote d'Or and a surefire winner for anyone who's looking for true white Burgundy terroir at a bargain price.
The same can be said of the 2023 Cordier Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine Clos du Four. If you're an avid follower of the Mâcon and its growing reputation, you no doubt recognize the Clos du Four vineyard from Les Heritiérs du Comte Lafon. It's one of the most coveted sites in the appellation, so much so that Dominique Lafon sought an outright monoply of ownership and almost got it, but Christophe, who had been leasing his parcel from the previous owner for years, fought tooth and nail, ultimately securing his small plot at the top of the vineyard in sole defiance of the Lafon juggernaut. "The 2023 Clos du Four is a beautiful example of its vineyard, offering everything you'd want from the Lafon version at nearly half the price," writes B-21 Burgundy Buyer Andrew Kitz. In a similar vein, Vincent Girardin's 2023 Cuvée St-Vincent Bourgogne Chardonnay is, in fact, made mostly from declassified Meursault vines, with a small balance of Puligny and Chassagne fruit rounding out the composition, so there's no question where the wine derives its outsized character. Andrew explains, "We came across a number of great values on our last trip to Burgundy, but nothing held a candle to this one when it came to Chardonnays in this price tier."
B-21 Burgundy fans are well familiar with Pascal Bonhomme's 2023 Vire-Clesse Vieilles Vignes, making it an undisputed best-seller in the category over several vintages. Along with John Gilman's glowing 93-point review, our own Burgundy buyer Andrew Kitz also found the 2023 to be "a statement in grace and elegance ... [with] super-fine limestone minerality, fantastic balance and textural precision, medium weight, and excellent definition." Turning to one of our most rewarding domaine-direct relationships for several years now, the 2023 Domaine Feuillat-Juillot Montagny Les Coeres 1er Cru is "a superb quality-to-price performer, not just for white Burg fans but for anyone who loves well-crafted Chardonnay." From a significant holding of 60-year-old vines in Montagny's most famous cru, the 2023 shows its clay-calcaire soils and old-vine pedigree in a rounded, utterly charming style that truly offers something for everyone. No hard edges, graceful balance, and upfront personality all make for another fine entry in the track record of this long-time B-21 favorite.
Finally, with 95 points from James Suckling's Burgundy critic, Stuart Pigott, the 2022 Famille Paquet Saint-Véran En Creches is endowed with "excellent concentration [and] so much chalky energy and citric freshness." This vineyard on the border of Davayé and Vergisson is just downslope from the famed Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru La Roche, and its ideal combination of shallow clay topsoils and limestone sub-stratum makes for the kind of excellent Chardonnay pedigree from which all great white Burgundy comes.
As you can see, we've done our digging, and whether you're looking for an easy pick to enjoy today, or something you can stock up on and come back to over and over again for a few years, there's a surefire winner or three in this list for you.