The Maillard family has been part of Burgundy's viticultural scene since 1766. In 1952, Daniel Maillard, father to Pascal, decided to dedicate himself to this career, concentrating on enlarging the domain and growing cuvées in a way that respects the terroir and the soil. The domain has gone from 2 hectares to 19, shared across the areas of Aloxe-Corton, Pommard, Beaune, Ladoix-Serrigny, Chorey-les-Beaune, Meursault, Volnay, and Savigny-les-Beaune. In the vines and the winery alike, the methods are traditional, and all the cuvées are classed as grand cru in the regional appellation. They are worked meticulously, from the selection of the grapes to the vinification and the maturation in 228-litre oak barrels. If, one day, you have a chance to visit, don't miss out on going down into the cellar where a magnificent well serves as a tasting table. Overall, this one is a Burgundian bright spark still at pleasing prices.

In the Côte de Beaune, there are relatively few red grands crus compared to its neighbours in the Côte de Nuits. The Corton grand cru from Domaine Maillard is one of the rare cuvées to have reached the summit of this pyramid of Burgundy wines. There are just 1900 square metres used for this prestigious cuvée (just 900 bottles produced per year), and it has violet hues with grilled notes and waves of earthiness. For the finest vintages – 2009, 2010, 2015 – you can leave the bottle in your cellar for up to 20 years to enjoy it at its best. It’s probably unnecessary to mention that the grapes are picked by hand to conserve the quality of the fruit. The nicest grape bunches are vinified for 12-15 days in controlled temperatures, with 1 or 2 stirrings per day. Fine wines are often defined by power, and the maturation is carried out in 75% new barrels. This Corton grand cru is justly balanced and has lovely length on the palate.