2016 Domaine Joseph Burrier Chateau de Beauregard Saint-Veran Burgundy 750 ml

Burgundy is a maze of appellations, sub-regions, and “Grand” and “Premier” Cru vineyards, but there’s one secret way to bypass the maps, experience Burgundy’s legendary terroir, and drink well without poring over textbooks: Follow the best producers.

Winemaking families—like the Burrier craftsmen behind today’s gorgeous, pineapple-scented Chardonnay—know where the region’s famed limestone soils surface in luxe Grand Cru vineyards and hidden sub-zones alike. By following them, we find the smartest, most terroir-driven values on the market, like this 2016 Joseph Burrier Château de Beauregard Saint-Véran.

In fact, this glossy, aromatic Chardonnay impressed us so much we bought Bourrier’s entire US allocation, and are offering it at $24.99 in one of our best Burgundy deals of the year.

The clean, stone-fruited, weighty 2016 Saint-Véran is silken and multi-layered, with the combination of just-picked peach and pineapple and lingering minerality that proves sip after sip that Burgundy deserves its storied reputation. 

Domaine Joseph Burrier stands shoulder-to-shoulder with household Burgundy producers like Domaine Leflaive of Puligny and Dominique Lafon, both of whom have mined the unique magic of the Mâcon region. Here, amazing terroir emerges alongside the opportunity to produce whites of classic Burgundian structure and finesse at a serious value. 

The Burrier family has owned Château de Beauregard since the 18th century, and for more than 500 years, they’ve made wine in Burgundy. They’ve farmed the same limestone-rich soils, akin to those of the Côte d’Or, long before America had its first President. Burrier is one of the top three producers in the Mâcon whose wines rarely come down in price—even a 14% discount (and best price in the U.S. on six) is a real deal on this last call for bottles from the stellar 2016 vintage, especially when compared to its Côte de Beaune neighbors. 

Tucked into the Mâconnais sub-zone about an hour south of Meursault, winemaker Frédéric-Marc Burrier owns these 30-year old Chardonnay vines, which lie in the heart of the Saint-Véran appellation. The Burriers own an impressive 18.5 acres, and their pristine farming means vintage-variation is less an issue than a subtle mark of vintage-complexity. But for those who like to know, by all accounts, the 2016 growing season was a good one for growers in the Mâconnais. 

With youthful, vivacious fruit aromas underscored by floral tones and mineral complexity, Burrier’s Saint-Véran is the rare Burgundy that’s a “front of cellar wine”—it’s easy on the wallet and palate, making it just the type of bottle to be opened frequently and poured generously. It doesn’t matter what’s on the table, Burrier’s classic structure and silken mouthfeel will play a perfect supporting role.