2020 Goisot Chardonnay Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre Burgundy 750 ml

The byzantine bureaucracy that governs French winemaking certainly hasn’t done wine lovers’ wallets many favors.

But for once, we can credit the paperasse with inadvertently helping to create a contender for the greatest bargain in white Burgundy: the marvelously racy, supple 2020 Goisot Chardonnay Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre.

“I have said this many times before but it bears repeating: No one but no one delivers more quality for the price than Goisot,” pronounced Burghound’s Allen Meadows. “The quality is flat out amazing.”

This is TOP Chablis in all but name. Saint-Bris, the region where the wine is made, is geographically of the same cut as Chablis but was exiled from the appellation by the vinicultural powers that be after a bout of phylloxera hit it in the 19th century.

The phylloxera scourge is old history now, yet the terroir and cool northern climate here mirror precisely what you’d find at iconic Chablis estates that sit a 10- or 20-minute drive away! Crafted by a Burgundy biodynamic pioneer, this bottle could cost $100 if the appellation’s lines were drawn slightly differently. 

Jean-Hughes Goisot was among the first producers in Burgundy to implement biodynamic practices, and the estate has earned Demeter certification—the gold standard in biodynamic winemaking.

Jean-Hughes’s son Guillaume now continues the tradition of making the greatest wines in this small corner of northern Burgundy, which often gets overlooked by the global wine market. The locals know it as a treasure trove of value: As much as 70% of Goisot’s wines are bought and consumed domestically.

A miraculous Chablis look-alike, the 2020 Goisot Côtes d'Auxerre Chardonnay delivers all the premium quality of its celebrated neighbor, but skips the premium price tags.