2020 Bourgogne Blanc, Domaine Sébastien Magnien

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or. Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

No relation to the Côte de Nuits Magniens, young Sébastien comes instead from Meloisey in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune – a village whose wines were as well thought of as those of Volnay in the 14th century, and were served at the coronation of King Philip II Augustus in 1180. However to be in the thick of things Sébastien has transferred headquarters to revamped cellars in the middle of Meursault. White wines come from the Hautes Côtes, St Romain and Meursault, the red wines from Volnay, Pommard and the Hautes Côtes including an excellent Clos des Perrières from Meloisey. Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.