Honey, Flowers, and Green Tea: New Crozes-Hermitage Blanc. $25

Denis Basset is best known for his rich pure Syrahs from Crozes-Hermitage. They’re delicious, well priced, and pulsing with energy and life. For years our only look at his lone white cuvée was in his barrel room – just a splash “to set the palate” before moving on to the reds. The white was always lovely — floral and fresh, beautifully expressive, and a perfect way to start a tasting.

Floral, Pitch-Perfect Puligny-Montrachet: No Patience Required

Puligny-Montrachet is generally considered the finest white wine town in Burgundy – and thus, by most accounts, the world. It’s where Chardonnay reaches its highest expression – at once intense, elegant, chiseled, floral, and subtle. Puligny is less opulent and mouthfilling than its two famous neighbors, Chassagne and Meursault – its elevated water table and high mineral content make the wines more linear and reserved.

Lush, “Brilliant” New White Burgundy from Maconnais

When we lived near Cluny in Burgundy more than twenty years ago, we stumbled upon a nearby producer in Viré-Clessé. The young couple who owned it tended their vineyards and made their wine according to organic and biodynamic principles – not at all the norm back then – and their work opened our eyes to the quality possible in the Maconnais.

A Terrific Trio: Exquisite 2015 Red Burgundies from Michel Gros

The 2015 vintage enjoys mythic status in Burgundy – the year when everything went right. One winemaker told us he purchased a sorting table in 2015 to remove imperfect grapes, but he didn’t even bother setting it up until the following year. Everyone made good wine in 2015 — and the greatest winemakers’ results were extraordinary.

Superb, “Charming” New 2019 Red Burgundy, from “Just over the Wall”

New winemakers in Burgundy are hard to come by. It’s a tiny region, and between small harvests, ever increasing demand, and well-established importers, it can seem there’s nothing new to discover. One of our most exciting recent finds was the Domaine Boursot in Chambolle-Musigny. Neal Martin of Vinous writes of a “foundation for a promising future,” and describes Boursot’s wines as “superb,” “excellent,” “very fine,” and “worth seeking out.”

Gorgeous, Perfumed 2017 Côte Rôties: 92-95 pts

The Northern Rhône produces the world’s most complex and balanced expressions of Syrah. Particularly in Côte Rôtie, at the region’s northern limit, the wines combine inky, black, masculine fruit with extraordinary lift and finesse. Our producer in Côte Rôtie is Christophe Bonnefond, who seems to make more impressive and well-balanced wines each year.

Bold, Exciting New St-Joseph under $40

Both the Northern and Southern Rhône Valleys borrow their name from the Rhône River, but there’s more than just 70 miles between them. Each region has its own history, rules, and feel. In the North nearly all the reds are unblended Syrah; in the South, Syrah shares the stage with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and a host of others. The styles, climates, and traditions are all distinct.