Drink
André Bonhomme is a Burgundian pioneer who was the first grower in the Mâconnais region to make his own estate wine rather than sell his fruit to big negociants such as Louis Jadot or Bouchard. It was a revolutionary move back in the 1950s, but he had the wine to back it up, eventually laying the groundwork for the Viré-Clessé appellation that was officially named in 1999.
André Bonhomme is a Burgundian pioneer who was the first grower in the Mâconnais region to make his own estate wine rather than sell his fruit to big negociants such as Louis Jadot or Bouchard. It was a revolutionary move back in the 1950s, but he had the wine to back it up, eventually laying the groundwork for the Viré-Clessé appellation that was officially named in 1999.
Grown on steep and stony vineyards, this is Burgundian chardonnay at its most balanced - a live wire of food-friendly acidity and minerals, though not as austere as Chablis, with enough rich fruit to give it a golden depth. Its versatility made it for many years the house white at Le Bec-Fin when Greg and David Moore still worked at the restaurant. Now it's one of the classic standbys at their Moore Bros.' stores. And the '06, which stole the pairing prize at a recent tasting meal at Talula's Table, reflects one of the Mâconnais' best vintages in recent memory, with a deeper luster and more complexity than past bottles I've had. This is a bottle worth cellaring, gifting, or just drinking on the spot.
- Craig LaBan
The 2006 André Bonhomme Viré Clessé, $24, at Moore Bros. in South Jersey (7200 N. Park Drive, Pennsauken) and Delaware (1416 N. DuPont St, Wilmington); available only through special order in Pennsylvania by the case of half-bottles, $14.99 each (code: 40174).