I recently attended the DNS wine club in Dublin, for the first time. I have been meaning to attend one of these monthly meet-ups for a while and finally made it along. This month the club was focusing on a region I, along with most people, am not as familiar with as I would like – Burgundy.

We tasted almost all whites, which showcased a variety of styles. The wine that impressed me, and the rest of the group the most, was a Rully made by Jean Chartron from 2012. This buttery, well balanced little gem left me wanting more. So the next day, I hit The Corkscrew on Chatham St where it had originated. Alas it was sold out, so I asked the lads there to recommend me something in the same style. What I came away with was Andre Bonhomme’s Vire Clesse 2014. I was assured it was one of the best recent vintages and would have a good balance of oak and fruit.  And it sure did! So after sampling its delightful flavours, this beauty is my wine tip of the week.

Some people will say they don’t like Chardonnay, and if they do, they may say they don’t like oaky Chardonnay. But if this sounds like you, I implore you to reconsider and try this delicious wine. With a beautiful butteriness balanced by excellent acidity, this wine has a lasting long finish. Stone fruits – especially peach, green apple, citrus, hints of mango, vanilla and excellent body, this wine is something to be savoured throughout an evening. When buying this, Adrian, from The Corkscrew, suggested consuming the wine at a slightly higher temperature than normal, which would express the flavours more. And I wholeheartedly agree with this advice. Chill it slightly, and serve it at around 10 degrees to allow the honeyed flavour and texture to show much better.

Not being a big fan of Burgundy I have not explored the wines of the region extensively. And many would think of reds when Burgundy is mentioned. For anyone, such as myself, who is rediscovering (or even discovering) Burgundy, white wines such as this are an excellent starting point and may well ignite a passion that will last a lifetime!

Match Andre Bonhomme’s Vire Clesse with a rich chicken dish or sip and enjoy by itself. As mentioned, you can find this wine in The Corkscrew for the bargain price of €28.95.