THE WINE
Oft-overlooked in Burgundy are the wonderful wines made from Pinot Blanc.  Sitting outside the appellations rules (except in St Romain) these wines end up in the Vin de France category but make for one of the best hidden gems worth seeking out. 
 
Made from 50 year old Pinot Blanc, fermented naturally without sulphites, aged in old foudre, this is one of the most elegant examples of Pinot Blanc we've tried. 
 
THE PEOPLE
Claire Naudin has run her family's Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand in Magny-lès-Villers since 1994, farming 22 hectares organically (though deliberately uncertified) across the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Nuits. She bottles under several distinct labels. Wines under the traditional Henri Naudin-Ferrand label are largely destemmed and barrel-fermented, covering appellations from regional Hautes-Côtes bottlings up to Échezeaux Grand Cru. Her own "Claire Naudin" cuvées, by contrast, are named after Hautes-Côtes wildflowers and made more naturally, without added sulfur, reflecting her minimal-intervention, native-yeast style. These "cuvées fleurs" have become renowned for elevating once-overlooked Hautes-Côtes terroirs and inspiring a generation of natural winemakers. Her flagship under this banner is Le Clou 34, an old-vine Aligoté drawn mainly from a 1934 planting with an even older 1902 parcel, which she bottles as Vin de France rather than under the Bourgogne Aligoté appellation. There's also BiNaume, a joint project launched in 2016 with her husband Jean-Yves Bizot, producing whole-cluster Gamay and Pinot Noir.
 
 
THE PLACE
Hautes‑Côtes de Beaune, perched on the high plateaus above the Côte de Beaune, is emerging as one of Burgundy’s most exciting up-and-coming regions. Its higher altitude and cooler climate produce slower-ripening grapes with bright acidity, elegant aromatics, and subtle minerality, giving both reds and whites a fresh, refined, and food-friendly profile. Historically overlooked, the region is now attracting serious investment from established and younger growers, with climate shifts enhancing its ability to preserve freshness in a warming world. Critics highlight Hautes‑Côtes wines for their finesse, approachability, and excellent value, making the region a compelling alternative to pricier Côte de Beaune villages and premier crus.