Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune blanc AOC 2024

The Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune blanc AOC 2024 is a dry Chardonnay from the elevated slopes above the Côte de Beaune, at 13.0% ABV. Here, precision matters more than richness: lemon, ripe apple and a chalky texture, along with a saline edge that carries the line through to the finish. The oak stays in the background.

The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune lie between 300 and 450 metres, with a cooler climate and limestone-rich, well-drained soils. Domaine Thomas-Collardot farms 2.5 hectares right in the heart of Puligny-Montrachet. Jacqueline Collardot took back the family vines in 2010, trained at the CFPPA Beaune and bottled her first own vintage in 2015; her son Matthieu joined in 2018. Annual production is around 10,000 bottles.

Pure Chardonnay. Gentle pressing, 24 hours of settling, then ten months' ageing on fine lees in used 228-litre pièces that have held two to four previous wines. No fining, only light filtration, and a restrained hand with sulphur as well.

Medium body, vibrant acidity, dry throughout. Lemon and white peach upfront, pear behind, with a chalky, clean finish.

With grilled fish and seafood, poached pikeperch with beurre blanc, roast chicken or poultry in cream sauce. It also pairs well with quiche Lorraine, goat's cheese and Comté.

The altitude and a cool, humid summer in 2024 favoured acidity and freshness. The family has vinified the wine themselves since 2015; before that, the grapes went to négociants.