While California has begun moving away from the rich buttery chardonnay style in recent years, that is still the flavor profile with which many associate with the region. If you are among those that have an affinity towards creamy round style, then I’d offer you up the “OG” of chardonnay as a point of comparison— Burgundy, France, which is region from which chardonnay hails—. So that your palate isn’t too far into unfamiliar territory, I’d recommend a wine from Macon in Burgundy as a solid place to start.

A Few things to know: Macon is southern most region of Burgundy. For reference, Burgundy spans from the town of Dijon to about 45 mi/ 70km north of the town of Lyon and it comprises of four main regions, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune, Cote Chalonnaise, and Maconnais being the southern part. The Macon wines tend to be riper (compared to other parts of burgundy) and have a rounder style.

Reading a label of a Burgundy wine (or French wines in general) is such feat in itself that it’s little surprise that many get deterred. As a basic run-down, the label gives you a sense of whether the wine is from— eg, is it a general region or from a very specific plot of land. For wines from the Maconnais, look out for these 4 label categories

Macon — generic name for chardonnay blended from anywhere in the entire Maconnais

Macon Village - slightly step up in quality than above but still blended from several areas

Name of a specific area in Macon- This is where it gets complicated because you need to have some knowledge of the specific areas— as a starter try Pouilly-Fuisse which you can find in most wine stores.

Name of specific village + designation (like premier cru) — If it says Pouilly-Fuisse premier cru, just know it’s higher quality and higher price.

Tasting profile: citrus, yellow apple, apricot, stone, honey

Price for a decent bottle: Expect to spend $20 for a Macon Village entry level but $40+ for a specific subregion in Maconnais such as Pouilly-Fuisse

Lookout for these Regions: Macon Village, Pouilly-Fuisse, Saint Veran,

Producers to try: Leflaive, Joseph Drouhin, Bouchard Pere & Fils