If you can't afford a bottle of Meursault, you might scan the shelves of your local wine shop for a Chardonnay from New Zealand, perhaps, or maybe Oregon. I doubt that you would pause to consider a Silvaner from the banks of the River Rhein, but that's precisely why we exist, to steer you off course and pick something surprising and this wine, from future superstar winemaker, Carsten Saalwächter, is just the sort of tale of the unexpected that we enjoy telling. Its aromas immediately lead you to the Cote d'Or, with their hint of reduction (i.e. struck match), a lot of flint and a basket full of citrus fruits and warm patisserie notes from the time spent in barriques. We tasted through the Meursaults from Domaine Roulot recently and didn't think any of them were as complex or delicious as this. 12% alc. Drink now-2029.

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “The Silvaner Alte Reben offers a clear, fresh, deep and calcareous bouquet with saline/iodine nuances intermingled with herbal and pencil shaving aromas. Delicate, elegant and light on the palate, this is nonetheless an intense and substantial Sylvaner with a refined phenolic structure and lingering minerality from the Ingelheim limestone soils.” 94 points