In Adventures on the Wine Route, Kermit wrote of Chablis: “The white Burgundy that raises the hair on my back, that arouses passions ranging from teeth-gnashing outrage to utmost euphoria, is not even from the Côte d’Or. It is Chablis, northernmost Chablis.” South of Chablis, but in the same orbit relative to the Côte d’Or, lies another Burgundian satellite called Vézelay that is similar in ways to its more famous neighbor. An hour and a half northwest of Beaune, this appellation is also capable of producing distinctive, world-class Chardonnay, especially in the hands of a vigneron as talented as Valentin Montanet, whose family domaine began to pioneer organic farming in the region around the turn of the twenty-first century. It is largely thanks to the Montanets’ lead and vintage-after-vintage success in crafting stellar white Burgundies that the INAO promoted the AOC from Bourgogne Vézelay to Vézelay in 2017—Burgundy’s first village upgrade since 1999.
     The climate this far north is relatively cold and is reinforced by a wind that sweeps down from the northwest across the vineyards of Vézelay, helping the grapes to stay dry, cool, and healthy. This climate, the domaine’s finest clay-and-limestone soils, and stainless-steel vinification are the pillars of Valentin’s La Châtelaine—“lady of the manor”—a divine rendition of pure, chiseled Chardonnay, bearing notes of orchard fruit, citrus, and oyster shells. Speaking of which, pair it with food as you would a Chablis: oysters, grilled seafood, roast chicken, or just a warm afternoon are perfect matches.