It’s a new year — a perfect time for a palate reset. You have been drinking lots of fine wine, and now it’s time to return to ordinary life.

No problem. All you have to do is find the extraordinary in the everyday. The world is full of low-cost, “ordinary” wines that offer simple, delicious pleasure.

In what may seem like a surprising move, for today’s “ordinary” wine we turn to Burgundy! Yes, Burgundy is full of expensive Grand Crus, but there are still plenty of delicious wines to drink that don’t cost an arm and a leg — you just need to know where to look.

A classic move is to buy the basic wine from a top quality grower. For this, we turn to a perennial Flatiron favorite, Domaine Lafouge. It’s not just our favorite, either: the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley, who has been on a roll lately promoting great discoveries in Burgundy, called Lafouge “one of my favorite insider domaines”.

Lafouge is best known for their white Meursault and reds from Pommard and their home village of Auxey Duresses, all made in an elegant, restrained but fruit-forward style. The 2021 Bourgogne Rouge sings in the same delicious key: it’s bursting with crunchy, high-toned red fruit, and plenty of freshness and energy.

It is the “pretty” version of Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Yes, it might be “ordinary”, but you will love drinking it this January and beyond:

Gilles Lafouge, Bourgogne Red, 2021 $32.99