“Remember when high-quality, organic white Burgundy could be had for less than $30?” That’s what we’ll all be reminiscing about in a matter of time, and I assure you that day will arrive sooner than we want. Even the most ingrained piece of conventional Burgundy wisdom—that Mâconnais terroir is paydirt for bargain shoppers—is already faltering: There have never been more $40+ wines on the market, and a few have even slipped past the triple-digit threshold. The silver lining here is that top village appellations like Pouilly-Fuissé, Viré-Clessé, and Saint-Véran have taken on serious cachet now that a new generation of talent has set out to properly showcase these rich terroirs. 

Damien Martin of Domaine de la Denante is one such talent, as evidenced by today’s tension-filled, beautifully delineated Saint-Véran. Although well south of the Holy (Côte de Beaune) Trinity that is Meursault, Puligny, and Chassagne, we should not forget that Saint-Véran, too, is inextricably linked to Chardonnay—it’s the only wine they produce! And now more than ever before, passionate, small-scale vignerons like Martin are taking charge with organic viticulture in the vineyard and clean, characterful white Burgundy in the cellar. What today’s wine delivers at a sub-$30 price point is simply extraordinary for the region, and I aim to take full advantage of it while it lasts!

With its dramatic limestone escarpments and its growing list of organic growers, you could argue that the Mâconnais is the most dynamic region in Burgundy right now, and Domaine de la Denante is very much part of the wave of progress and quality in the region. After his brothers took over the family domaine (Domaine de la Croix Senaillet), Robert Martin founded his own estate in 1975, starting with just 2.5 hectares of vines. By 2010, he had grown it to 10 hectares when his son, Damien, joined the team. This is when quality leaped to the next level.

Since Damien’s arrival, he has focused on parcel specificity, working in the vineyard recording the nuances of each plot. While they produce wines from the appellations of Mâcon-Villages and Pouilly-Fuissé, the largest proportion of the Denante’s production is from Saint-Véran. The appellation as a whole flanks Pouilly-Fuissé from the north and south, and is composed of seven villages, one of which is Davayé, where Domaine de la Denante is located. Their estate-owned parcels surround one of the most iconic sites in the entire region: The ruggedly beautiful outcropping known as the “Roche de Vergisson.” Vineyards surrounding this limestone monolith tend to be sloped with rocky, poor soil that produces elegant but high-intensity acid profiles. Today’s 2019 Saint-Véran was made from several parcels, each fermented separately and expertly blended together later versus the regional standard of one large tank. This allows Martin the flexibility to make the best possible blend each vintage by declassifying and funneling whatever doesn’t make the cut into his cheaper Mâcon-Villages bottling.

After a quick 10-minute decant, pour this 2019 into large stems and give it a few vigorous swirls before dipping in your nose. This is pure, squeaky clean Chardonnay unfurnished with the aggressive spice and richness of oak aging, which therefore makes it an absolutely delicious and refreshing take on white Burgundy. You’ll uncover notes of crisp yellow and green apple skin, lemon zest, crushed rocks, Anjou pear, fresh white flowers, lees, and a touch of honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate bursts with citrus and just-ripened orchard fruits before giving way to a zesty, spirited, and palate-cleansing finish. We love this wine for its ability to be consumed by itself or alongside a wide assortment of foods—one of two reasons I would encourage buying at least 3-6 bottles! The other reason? Well, I mentioned it above: organic, superbly crafted $29 white Burgundy is a dying breed!