Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat Victor de la Combe 2018

Victor de la Combe is Ganevat's excursion south into Burgundy proper — a négoce Chardonnay sourced from old vines around Fuissé in the Mâconnais, where Jean-François buys fruit from fellow growers who share his exacting, natural philosophy. Born partly out of necessity, as difficult Jura vintages pushed the domaine to seek fruit further afield, it's grown on sloping limestone and marl-limestone soils and handled with the same patient, hands-off approach as everything else in the range: fermented on indigenous yeasts, aged upwards of two to three years in old foudre on fine lees, unfined, unfiltered, and released with no added sulphur. It's a wine that quietly bridges two worlds — Jura winemaking instincts applied to classic Burgundian Chardonnay terroir.

The result shows real generosity and lift: poached apple and pear, white peach, and even roasted mango on the nose, layered with sweet spice, toasted pine nut, and a faint curry-like exoticism that makes this cuvée instantly recognisable. The palate is precise, electric, and mouthwatering, with citrus and mineral notes carrying through a long, saline finish that keeps the wine feeling energetic despite its extended élevage.