Domaine Bzikot, Bourgogne Blanc, France, 2018

From a vineyard plot close to Puligny, the vines are situated in Huilleres. They are located adjacent to the vineyards of the famed Domaine Leflaive, so are in good company. Sylvain’s approach to winemaking for the Bourgogne Blanc is as precise and stringent as the vinification for his 1er cru sites. He gently presses the wine and vinifies 1/3 of it in barrels (5% new) with the remainder only treated to stainless steel. This derives a sumptuous texture without the full bore, four star, leaded oak influence that can overwhelm the fruit in the wrong hands.

Clean and fresh on the palate, the Bourgogne shows Puligny-like characters of apples, spiced pears, white flowers and stony mineral notes in the long finish. Somewhat more elegant and finessed than Puligny, almost akin to Chablis Grand Cru, and all for a significantly more modest price.