Ladoix "Sur Les Vris" blanc, Sans Sulfites Ajouté AC 2020

The Ladoix «Sur Les Vris» blanc is a dry Chardonnay at 12.0 % Vol., built with a lean structure, lively acidity and a saline touch. No wood in the foreground, no opulence — instead, tension and clarity.

Ladoix lies at the northern edge of the Côte de Beaune; the Chardonnay vines for «Sur Les Vris» stand close to the Corton hill. François de Nicolay doesn't buy finished wines but grapes from long-standing partner growers who work organically or biodynamically. The line was born in 1998, when a fellow winemaker friend offered him grapes from a top vineyard that he didn't want to blend with those of his own estate.

Pure Chardonnay, fermented spontaneously and aged in the historic vaulted cellar of Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-lès-Beaune: used barrels, with a maximum of 20 percent new oak. It is bottled without added sulfites, which calls for impeccable grapes and meticulous cellar hygiene.

A taut, straightforward entry. Upfront, white peach and lemon zest, followed by toasted hazelnut and green apple, with a chalky note. The finish stays long, cool and saline.

Pan-fried sole with lemon butter, young Comté or risotto with green asparagus, as well as oysters and sushi.

Against mildew, François de Nicolay uses skimmed milk instead of copper sulfate, one of the first winemakers in Burgundy to do so. The estate has been family-owned since 1834; since 2005, he and his sister Claude have farmed the 13.7 hectares biodynamically, with one worker per hectare and horses working between the vine rows.