Pierre Boisson is a small producer in Meursault whose work sits within the broader context of the village’s distinguished tradition of Chardonnay production while also extending into the neighbouring appellations of the Côte de Beaune. Auxey-Duresses, the village situated immediately west of Meursault in a side valley of the Côte de Beaune, has historically been considered a source of well-priced Chardonnay that shares geological and climatic characteristics with its more famous neighbour while commanding significantly lower prices. Producers with holdings in both Meursault and Auxey-Duresses, or who source Auxey-Duresses fruit from quality-focused growers, can offer wines that provide collectors with access to Meursault-adjacent quality at a more accessible price point.

The 2021 Auxey-Duresses vintage was shaped by the catastrophic spring frost of that year, which reduced yields significantly across the Côte de Beaune and produced wines of unusual concentration and mineral focus from the surviving fruit. For a white wine appellation like Auxey-Duresses, the frost-reduced yields of 2021 delivered Chardonnay of greater intensity and structural depth than the more generous 2022, and the finest examples show the kind of mineral precision that makes the appellation genuinely interesting as an alternative to the higher-priced Grand and Premier Crus of Meursault and Puligny. Pierre Boisson’s approach, focused on natural farming and minimal intervention in the cellar, should have produced an Auxey-Duresses of real character from these low-yield vines.

Auxey-Duresses from a quality-conscious small producer in a low-yield vintage represents one of the most compelling value propositions in white Burgundy: wines with genuine Côte de Beaune character, mineral complexity and age-worthiness at prices substantially below those of Meursault village and well below Premier Cru levels. Pierre Boisson’s 2021 is a wine for collectors who seek interesting white Burgundy beyond the most celebrated addresses and are willing to explore less-publicised appellations where serious producers are working with commitment and care.

Pale gold with a crisp and focused nose of lemon zest, green apple, white pear, chalk mineral and a light floral note from the Côte de Beaune limestone terroir. Medium-bodied on the palate with good natural acidity, clean fruit and a precise, mineral-edged finish that reflects the concentration of a low-yield vintage. Best from 2024 through 2033.