“Very good value.” - Jancis Robinson MW

“Taut and linear with a sapid finish that urges you back. Very fine.” - Neal Martin

As Mark Twain once said, “the only certainties in life are death and taxes and quotes being misattributed to me”, because it was actually Benjamin Franklin, who made that famous pronouncement, but he forgot to include one other certainty: the price of Burgundy going up every year.

The price of this white Burgundy has not gone up, however, seemingly making it the exception to the rule, but the sole reason for that is that this is Domaine de la Monette’s debut release under the stewardship of the highly-talented Pierre-Etienne Chevallier. You can be absolutely certain that it will go up a fair bit next year and in the years to come, because it’s radically underpriced for what’s in the bottle (from £23.95), but you can only charge so much without a track record, so we’re really excited to have discovered it on first release.

It’s a finely chiselled Bourgogne Chardonnay and feels as if the winemaker has chipped away at everything that wasn’t needed, leaving just the essence of the grapes and the place where they were grown. We love this style of white Burgundy – mineral and terroir-focused - the kind that leans a little more towards acidity and away from opulence, tasting of grapefruit, white peach, grapefruit (back for an encore), nutty oak and filo pastry drizzled with honey and orange water).

It would sit comfortably alongside village wines from Saint Romain or Saint Aubin and if I had to pick a domaine that it emulates in style, I would suggest Hubert Lamy: bright and crystal-clear wines, keenly acidulated, yet perfectly balanced by the fruit ripeness. 13% alc. Organic. Drink now-2028.

Press review:

Jancis Robinson MW: “Very savoury nose (more Côte d'Or than Chalonnaise). Nicely interesting and balanced. VERY GOOD VALUE. Drink now-2030.” 16.5 points

Neal Martin: “The 2023 Bourgogne Blanc originates from vines in the Bouzeron appellation and offers more complexity and nuance than the Bouzeron itself, with well-defined veins of yellow fruit. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry, taut and linear with a sapid finish that urges you back. Very fine. Drink now-2031. “ 88 points