2013 Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc, 3-bottle Lot

Domaine Faiveley is in Nuits-Saints-Georges in Burgundy. It was founded in 1825 as a negociant and several generations of Faiveleys worked to shape not only their own business but to improve the reputation of Burgundian wines. In the 1930s Georges Faiveley, then the family patriarch, was one of two Burgundians to found the influential Conferie du Tastevein, an organization that was over the decades instrumental in raising the prestige of Burgundy's wines. Today the estate is run by Erwan Faiveley, and besides still running a negociant business the family makes highly regarded Grand Crus, Premier Crus and villages wines. The estate includes 25 acres of Grand Cru parcels, including the monopole Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley. There are also two Premier Cru monopoles, Gevrey-Chambertin Cru Clos des Issarts, and Beaune Clos de l'Ecu. Burgundy writer Clive Coates has written that Domaine Faiveley "is one of the greatest sources of quality wine in the whole of Burgundy."

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.