Yann Durieux DH Blanc 2019

Chardonnay

This is 100% Chardonnay made in the Vin de France style, from vines in the Dames Huguettes vineyard (just a stone’s throw from Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru). The soil is thin limestone (10-20 cm), almost rock mother just below, so the grapes feel tension and minerality from below. It’s pressed directly and aged for about 24 months in used barrels, with no added sulphur, no fining, no filtration. 

In the glass, it shows a light golden colour, notes of yellow plum, honey, dried fruit and beeswax, with an undercurrent of citrus peel and stone. The palate is elegant and complex — round, but balanced; there’s a lovely tension between richness and freshness, strong minerality pulling it through to a long, refined finish. 

This is a bottle for people who like Chardonnay with character — serious enough for special meals, but alive enough you can sip and discover. It’s drinking nicely now, and will reward careful sipping for several more years.