Domaine André Bonhomme, Viré-Clessé "Les Pierres Blanches"

This is yet another wonderful domain that has gently been working away making consistently excellent wines for decades and, through the rise and rise of the rest of Burgundy's prices and demand, has found itself garnering increased acclaim as the gaze of all Burgundy buyers widens in search of value, quality and availability.

Flavours of apple, fresh ripe citrus and some tropical fruit lead to a generous, complex and scintillating palate. The finish is pure, clean and long, with minerality and subtle spices. Spectacular given the value, this wine has a superb alter-ego in the name given it by famous 3-star Michelin restaurant, Taillevent, which is "le Meursault de Mâcon".

First harvested in 1956, this estate is a significant one as Bonhomme was himself the first estate in the Macon region to bottle and sell his own wine, a concept that seems remarkably recent given today's climate of insatiable white Burgundy demand.

He was also at the very forefront of the creation of the Viré-Clessé appellation, which, again astonishingly, was only declared with AOC status in 1998.

The estate is 11 hectares and is in organic conversion, complete with scattered straw in the vines to help prevent erosion, while grasses are kept sort by a flock of sheep that ably fertilise, as well.

All the wines are made using natural yeasts and a pneumatic pressoir; grapes are hand-harvested and the several separate plots are vinified individually. In the case of this excellent wine, they are taken from white, stony soils, hence Pierres (or stones) Blanches (white). Language lessons as well as wine.