THE WINE
A refined, precise Chardonnay with citrus notes, a toasty edge, and real tension, its oak ageing lending gentle vanilla and woodsmoke depth alongside real richness. It comes from Champs Perdrix, a hilltop plot in Nantoux where the soil is thin — just 60cm of pure chalk over solid rock, with no clay at all.
 
The style is on the reductive side (no bâtonnage, long time on lees) so the wines need a bit of oxygen to open up. A decant or opening the bottle an hour or so in advance is advised.
 
THE PEOPLE
Domaine Jean-Yves Devevey is a small, unglamorous but highly respected estate based in Demigny, a once-thriving "village viticole" on the northern edge of the Saône-et-Loire, in the stretch Jean-Yves himself calls "l'entre côte" — the in-between country separating the Côte de Beaune from the Côte Chalonnaise. He began in 1992 with just four hectares, initially splitting his time between plots in Demigny and the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits before consolidating around Nantoux in the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, and has since built the estate up to around 7.6–8 hectares spanning Rully, Beaune, Volnay, and the Hautes-Côtes. To help finance the winery, he added a small négociant arm in 2002, sourcing fruit for wines like Chassagne, Meursault, and Volnay. Farming has been organic in practice since 2003 and formally certified since 2014, and Jean-Yves continues to experiment with biodynamics without adhering to it dogmatically, alongside more idiosyncratic touches like grafting Savagnin and Marechal Foch onto the domaine's vines. He's also become something of a pioneer for low-sulphur winemaking in Burgundy, a path he's pursued since 2010. All the white wines see long lees ageing in barrel, a style well suited to minimal sulphur use, and through years of experimentation Jean-Yves has found that around 1mg/l gives the best precision, salinity, and terroir expression. Curiously, this doesn't apply evenly across the range: wines from the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune tolerate very low or even zero added sulphur beautifully, while others in the range need slightly more,  a difference he attributes, without total certainty, to variations in soil type and vine selection. It all adds up to a portrait of a meticulous, self-effacing "farmer's farmer" who, despite producing wines widely praised by critics and Burgundy specialists, remains relatively little-known;  largely by his own quiet, restrained design.
 
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.