2014 Etienne Sauzet Puligny 1'er Cru "Les Combettes, Cote D'Or, Burgundy- What an absolutely phenomenal treat. This bottle was a gift from the couple that first introduced me to Sauzet almost a decade ago, kicking off a life-long a white Burgundy habit.

Everyone has a few favorite underdog vintages, and 14 is absolutely on my list, and this was no exception.

I will admit, when I first tasted a wine from this 1er Cru ("Les Combettes"), I knew very little about Burgundy villages in general, let alone vineyards, and I thought it would be impossible to learn most of it, but it doesn't have to be.

From 750ml, this had the aroma of chicken bones boiling down to make chicken stock, complete with notes of salinity, while also maintaining a gorgeous white truffle aroma. Green and yellow apple were trying to fight for center stage while lemon and lemon oil joined lime cordial in the background to help keep the beautiful tone. Hazelnut and almond seemed a little intermixed and the oak was incredibly well integrated. The lightest hints of flower and pear helped make their way in toward the finish, but not before a fantastic savory fruit juice bring in some citrus cordial in. Being on the border with Meursault, it's no surprise they share some characteristics, and with Meursault Genevrieres still being my all time favorite wine, I can't get enough of this gorgeous combination.

I know Sauzet doesn't stick out in a lot of people's minds as belonging to the "best of the best" category, and while I can absolutely understand and agree with a lot of those arguments, but something about them just sticks out to me as exactly what I'm looking for.