SOLID CASE OF 12 with free shipping, $540 ($45/bottle)

Those of us in the wine business—well, those of us who truly love wine anyway—make no pretense toward absolute impartiality when it comes to judging our favorites. We form deep emotional attachments to some wines and they become more like old friends than something you could ever objectively ‘score.’ Sure, some vintages might be more hyped than others, but, by and large, great producers produce great wines, and fans want them year in, year out.

One such old friend is Paul Pernot’s ultra-reliable, ultra-delicious Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay. No matter the circumstance, just seeing a bottle with that classic old-school label on the table and a non-leaky glass nearby is a comfort. The just-arrived 2024 brings us an extra degree of mouth-filling richness in this very small vintage that truly belies its supposedly humble appellation. Perfect! This cuvée traditionally comes from two distinct organically farmed vineyard parcels, one adjacent to Château du Puligny-Montrachet in the heart of the town of Puligny (where, due to its in-town location, it unfortunately for them—but lucky for us—cannot be appelled Puligny-Montrachet), and the other a parcel of even older vines grown on Puligny’s border with Meursault.

Fermented and aged in barrels, about 5% of which are new, this cuvée really shows no oak at all, but you can feel the added texture and breadth on the palate it provides. This lovely Burgundy is so pure, so focused and so flavorful, you can’t help but love it. At very least, let it do duty as a super food-friendly, flexible house white. For me, it’s the clean, linear definition of Asian pear-lemon curd fruit and the gentle subtlety of its citrus-infused mineral background that brings nuance and intrigue to the flavors that keep me thinking about the wine.

This old friend is a great, great drinker and will impress even the most demanding Burgundy lover and, as proven over many vintages here at PRIMA, it will only get better as it ages. It should be at its peak in only four or five years. As always, very highly recommended for your next Coquilles St.-Jacques or whole grilled fish, or really anytime the taste of the genuine article is called for. Don’t serve too cold.

Even after the tariffs, this is still an incredible bargain!