Vire-Clesse is the kind of wine you need to try if you're just sort of dipping your toe in the waters of the Maconnais. Just a little ways north of Fuisse and a little bit south of Uchizy, this is a region that produces some stunning Chardonnay that can still be had at reasonable prices. This wine has lifted white floral tones on the nose and is gorgeously layered in the mouth, with deftly interwoven fruit, spice and mineral. It shows power but never oversteps the freshness or buoyancy.