But we werent surprised when he told us that his everyday go-to was Latours Vir-Cless Les Champs. After all, it has become a member-favorite here as well, earning a scorching 4.3-star rating last vintage. That impressive score earned it a place at the very top of our white-Burgundy list.

A rare bottling from one of the best areas in the Mcon, this is one of the top values in white Burgundy, but it comes with one catch: Unlike their more widespread Vir-Cless, its exceptionally hard to findunless youre a Wine Access member. And since the high-quality 2021 vintage was especially parsimonious, our allocation was cut by 40%.

Chez Bocuse, Troisgros, or Guy Savoy, I like old vintages of Corton-Charlemagne, Louis-Fabrice used to say. But on non-MICHELIN-starred nights, he confessed, We toast the monks of Cluny and we drink great vintages of Vir-Cless. With a sly smile, he added, Let me show you why.

He led us to his car, then took us on a journey south along A6 from Beaune. About an hour later, we turned off to the hamlet of Vira hidden gem that most ngociants rush past on their way to the more famous Pouilly-Fuiss.

In Vir, old-vine Chardonnay is rooted in the Jurassic limestone hillsides. Les Champs vineyard owes its existence to the monks of Cluny, who cultivated vines in the area over 900 years ago. Because it sits just off the beaten path, Louis-Fabrice explained, he had prime access to the best fruit these vines have to offer.

Pulling up to a small, carefully manicured vineyard, he parked, then pulled the cork on an unlabeled bottle of Les Champs that hed brought along. He leaned up against a vineyard post, poured us a glass, and invited us to walk the vines. Its a moment well never forget.

The 2021, with its aromas of ripe apples, seductive pears, and yellow flowers, captures that same feeling. Its full of fresh acidity underpinning quince, apple, and crystalline mineral notes, and it transported us back to that vineyard in Burgundy.

The age-old lesson of Burgundy rings loud and clear: location, location, location! In this narrow strip of land between the towns of Vir and Cless, Les Champs is a jewel of the region, and its why we try and offer this wine whenever we can. In a low-yielding vintage, we recommend stocking up like it wont be around tomorrow.