Crafting the Albert Bichot Viré-Clessé is a bit like a high-stakes science experiment, minus the lab coats and plus a lot more limestone. Born in the youngest communal appellation of the Mâconnais, these Chardonnay grapes are pampered on slopes filled with "cray"—those iconic white limestone pebbles that give the wine its soul. Under the watchful eye of vineyard maestro Christophe Chavel, the soil is ploughed and kept strictly fertilizer-free, because great wine shouldn't need a chemical pick-me-up. Technical Director Alain Serveau oversees a meticulous vinification process where 80% of the juice chills in stainless steel while the adventurous 20% gets cozy in oak barrels. After eight to nine months of aging on fine lees, the result is a masterclass in balance and Burgundian elegance.