2022 Francois Millet et Fils Marsannay La Croix De Bois Blanc

François Millet et Fils Marsannay La Croix de Bois Blanc 2022 is a single-parcel Chardonnay from 0.3 hectares on the mid-slope of the Croix de Bois lieu-dit in Couchey, within Marsannay, the northernmost village appellation of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. François Millet, who spent years as winemaker at Domaine Comtes Georges de Vogüé, describes his wines in two categories: mineral or structural. This one is transparently mineral, shaped by 22 months on fine lees in neutral oak with no new wood, gentle basket pressing, and a winemaking philosophy that prioritizes terroir over varietal expression. Marsannay is the only village appellation in Burgundy authorized to produce red, white, and rosé wines under the same AOC, and this luminous white from the 2022 vintage shows why the lieu-dit has earned attention among collectors in Chicago and beyond. François Millet founded his own domaine in 2016 with his wife and two sons, Julien and Adrien, farming tiny parcels scattered across the Côte de Nuits with the same meticulous care he brought to his work at De Vogüé. The Croix de Bois parcel sits on the mid-slope, where the soil composition and elevation combine to produce a wine that balances weight and energy. The Chardonnay is basket-pressed to avoid harsh phenolics, fermented without new oak intervention, and rested in cool cellars for nearly two years to develop complexity while preserving the vineyard's natural acidity and saline minerality. Millet's approach is minimalist by design: he believes the land should speak louder than the grape, and his winemaking serves that philosophy, never imposing but always guiding. The 2022 vintage opens with orchard fruit—ripe white pear, yellow peach, green apple, and quince—alongside white flowers, acacia honey, and wet stone. The palate is silky and viscous, almost creamy in texture, yet the wine remains bright and energetic, driven by citrus zest, almond skin, and a finish that turns distinctly saline and chalky. There's a lingering pear skin bitterness that adds grip and keeps the wine from feeling soft or indulgent. Pair it with roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, grilled halibut, or aged Comté. It's transparent, pure, and built for the table, the kind of white Burgundy that tells you exactly where it's from without needing to shout. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.