2024 Jean-Louis Chavy Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy

Jean-Louis Chavy comes from one of Puligny-Montrachet’s longstanding winemaking families, and today works alongside his son Paul from their domaine in the heart of the village. Their approach is refreshingly understated: careful vineyard work, thoughtful élevage and very little interference between vineyard and bottle. The Bourgogne Blanc offers a terrific doorway into the Chavy style without requiring Puligny-Montrachet money.

The challenging 2024 vintage rewarded meticulous growers, with smaller yields but wines showing freshness, aromatic lift and excellent definition. Chavy’s experience with the limestone-rich vineyards around Puligny is evident here, delivering a Bourgogne Blanc with considerably more poise and character than its humble appellation might suggest.

Pale straw with green highlights, the nose opens with lemon, crisp pear and white peach, followed by citrus blossom, fresh almond and a gentle flinty note. The palate is bright and beautifully shaped, with crunchy orchard fruit and lemon zest carried by lively acidity. A subtle creamy texture adds generosity through the middle, before a mouthwatering finish of grapefruit, salted almond and crushed stone.

This is the bottle to pull from the fridge when dinner hasn’t become a grand production. Think roast chicken with crispy skin, grilled prawns with garlic butter, fish tacos with lime and jalapeño, spaghetti alle vongole or a bubbling ham and Gruyère croque monsieur. Frankly, a bag of excellent salted crisps wouldn’t disgrace it either.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2032.