I’m not saying anyone can make a great Meursault Perrieres, but I think it’s easier to make a great wine from a great vineyard, then it is to craft greatness from relatively more basic vineyards. You need to be super-selective and basically care a lot.

That’s why I find the category of Bourgogne Blanc so interesting. It’s a great revealer of the ambitions of a winemaker and domaine, and an indicator of where the estate is heading. That’s because you need to put in a lot of work, and unless you’re a Leflaive level producer, you can’t charge top dollar. All of which can work greatly to the keen drinkers advantage.

Amongst peers like Paul Pillot and Pierre Girardin, Charles Ballot Millot is making the greatest white Burgundies that remain relatively under the radar and absolutely undervalued.

His Bourgogne Blanc is the ultimate place to start. Only about 600 cases are made in a typical year, all sourced from within the confines of Puligny and Meursault. It’s mostly Meursault fruit though, up to 80%, from very good generic vineyards like Coutures and L’Ormeau. Vine age is at least 25 years old.

It’s right up there with Domaine Lefaive or Roulot’s benchmark Bourgogne Blancs. Closer in style to the Leflaive version – it has tension and a certain amount of reduction, but nothing like that of hyper-stylised domaines like PYCM and Roulot. It’s an open wine, and drinks great straight out of the case.

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