Aligoté!
9/17/24 -
What do you get when you cross Pinot Noir with Gouais Blanc? Only everyone’s second favorite white wine grape in Burgundy, none other than Aligoté. For far too long it has been looked down upon as a lesser grape, however some of the top winemakers on the scene have been taking the time (and vineyard space) to create magnificent representations of this grape for years. We should all be exploring Aligoté much more frequently. It’s time to stop adding ice cubes and Crème de cassis to this fun-loving food wine and let it shine.
Below you will find ten different representations of Aligoté from the Côtes d’Auxerre in the north through the Côte d’Or and down to Bouzeron. These wines range from fresh, fun, and zippy to rich, opulent, and textural, all worth making a stop at.
-Hanna Krilov
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2022 Cassiopée Bourgogne Aligoté “En Gerlieus”
Domaine Cassiopée was born in early 2020 after Hugo Mathurin and Talloulah Dubourg purchased a 5 hectare estate in Sampigny-les-Maranges. The two trained with Jean-Marc Roulot and Benjamin Leroux and were eager to find vineyards in cold enough places where they could produce the wines they love to drink: fresh and light-footed. Immediately they began converting to organic farming, certification will be complete for the 2023 vintage. The wines hit the scene with a bang, immediately drawing attention from those in the industry. With this release being only their third vintage, I would snag them while you can, buying two to have one now and another in a few years.
En Gerlieus is located in Chassey-le-Camp, 10km to the southeast where there are no neighbors, just forest. The vines are 40-100 years old and made 60% in barrel and 40% in amphorae. The minerality found here is unmatched, the wine is playful and easy drinking with the depth of a more serious wine. Steen Öhman of Winehog tasted this wine in August of 2023 and called it one of his favorite Aligotés next to Nicholas Favre and Chanterêves.
2022 Domaine David Moreau Bourgogne Aligoté “Les Tilles”
David Moreau knew at a young age his life would be that of a vigneron. He began vocational viticulture and viniculture classes in high school and then continued onto more formal training in Dijon. After school he decided to travel and learn from François Perrin of Chateau Beaucastel, he later spend time in New Zealand before returning home. Back in Burgundy, he worked with Oliver Lamy of Hubert Lamy and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. In 2009, he took over his grandfather’s Domaine and the wines have only continued to get better since! I have had the pleasure of tasing with David in his cellar in Santenay and his wines always reflect his joie de vivre!
This plot of Aligoté was planted in 1998 and is located at the southeastern edge of Santenay. It is farmed organically and after harvest is fermented with ambient yeast in 300 to 350-liter barrels. It is then aged up to 18 months in a mix of 50-80% stainless steel tanks and 20-50% barrels.
2022 Domaine Remi Jobard Bourgogne Aligote “Les Busigny Vieilles Vignes”
Rémi Jobard took full control of the family domaine in 1996. Although they stopped using pesticides and herbicides two years prior, Rémi continued to improve farming quality by converting fully organic, completing certification in 2011. “We are very privileged to have great terroir in Meursault. Everything I do in the vineyard and in my cellar is to make sure that terroir is transparent and completely unobscured,” Rémi said when asked about his approach.
This special Aligoté is from a single lieu-dit in Meursault from 50+ year old vines. It is fermented with native yeasts in 2/3rd older barrel and 1/3rd foudre, before being finished in stainless steel for 6 months before bottling. The depth and texture shown here, with a bright finish is perfect to pair with any roast poultry or rich fish dish.
2022 Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Aligoté
Growing up around the vines in Burgundy, Sylvain realized from a young age that he wanted to pursue the life of a winemaker. He very quickly found his way to Marsannay to start his own Domaine after graduating in Beaune. In 1999 he had just 1 hectare of vines but has since grown this to 15 hectares. For years Sylvain has been one of the most vocal about Aligoté, having winemakers growing it, and more people drinking it. His lineup of single vineyard sites, and the clarity of his wines reflect his care and belief in this grape.
The vineyards are certified organic with biodynamic practices being used additionally. The vines are an average of 50 years old from Champ Forey and Auvonnes. After harvest the grapes are directly pressed before being fermented in 2/3rd used barrel and 1/3rd tank for 12 months. There is minimal S02 at bottling.
2022 Domaine Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligoté
Based in Meursault, Francois has been tending vines in the village since 1992. Since that time, he has made wines with energy balanced with elegance. Just last year I drank a bottle of 2014 that was singing with golden orchard fruits, with great structure and acidity. It could have continued to age even longer.
Farmed with organic practices in two plots in Meursault on the boarder of Puligny-Montrachet. The vine age here is insane, having been planted between 1929-1948! The grapes are fermented with native yeast in stainless steel and age in that as well. Drink now or save.
2022 Guillaume et Jean-Hughes Goisot Bourgogne Aligoté
Located in the Côtes d’Auxerre, situated just north of Irancy and southwest of Chablis, this often-forgotten corner of Burgundy boasts the same chalky soils as Chablis with the freedom to grow grapes other then Chardonnay. Goisot’s wines possess some of the best value available in Burgundy.
Jean-Hugues Goisot was among Burgundy’s earliest vignerons to move to biodynamic farming practices, with his son Guillaume following the same dedication to provide the best environment possible for their vines. Grapes are hand harvested and fermented with native yeasts at cold temperatures in stainless steel. This, along with the cool temperatures in the region results in a wine with purity, freshness, and precision.
2020 Domaine A. & P. de Villaine Bouzeron
Bouzeron is the only AOC dedicated solely to Aligoté. This is in part due to the de Villaine family who fought to have it recognized as such. Located in the Côte Chalonnaise, Bouzeron is just south of Santenay and Chassagne, and north of Rully. Aubert de Villaine, who has been running DRC since the mid-nineteen sixties owns this Domaine with his nephew, Pierre de Benoist managing it since 2003.
The monks of Cluny in the Middle Ages planted the vineyard, having noticed this small sunny valley, perfect for ripening. Organic since 1986, the vines are planted on the slopes of Bouzeron allowing for ripe fruit to integrate with bright minerality and a richness on the palate.
2022 Domaine Guy Bocard Bourgogne Aligoté ‘Les Chanterelles”
Charles Bocard started the family estate in Meursault in the 1920’s, but it wasn’t until 1959 that they began bottling and selling their own wines. In 2020 René Mora took over as winemaker, he initially was hired to help harvest but ended up becoming a faithful disciple of Guy. The domaine has been certified organic since 2019.
“Les Chanterelles” is a plot located in Meursault that boasts 50+ year old Aligoté vines. In addition to having some of the best terroir in the world, the wines continue to age for 18 months, 12 of those in old Burgundian barrels before bottling. The wine delivers characteristics of Meursault, containing a rounder mouthfeel than Aligoté often does.
2022 Buisson-Charles Aligoté “Hors Classe”
Now on its 5th generation, Buisson-Charles has made a name for itself as a top-tier Domaine in Meursault. The vines here are tended organically with no SO2 added during vinification, then bottled without fining or filtration. Louis made his first vintage in 2019, and had continued on with the family style of waiting a little longer than most for harvest, trying to optimize opulence with acidity and tension.
The Hors Classe Aligoté comes from a 0.44 hectare plot near the edge of Meursault in the lieu-dit of Sous le Chemin. The average vine age is 45 years. After harvesting, the wine is fermented and matured in 7-10% new barrels for 12 months before aging an additional 3-5 months in stainless steel vats.
2023 Jean-Claude Rateau Bourgogne Aligoté
“Jean-Claude created his domain in 1979 with a few family parcels, always in biodynamic agriculture, and now cultivates 10 hectares in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Beaune and Gevrey-Chambertin. Only a light and superficial plowing is done in summer, respecting wild plants and keeping hedges and fruit trees along the vines. Minimal fertilizers are used, always organic composts, as well as biodynamic preparations. Replanting is by massale selection, seeking a great diversity in the parcels, often with co-planted varieties, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc in La Grande Chatelaine. Fermentations are with wild yeasts, of course, with the goal of making wines with no additives, with minimal added SO2.” -David Lillie
The Aligoté vines come from a vineyard in the Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune. The high altitude vineyard site is reflected in the bright acidity of the wine. Paired with a textural palette and long finish this wine hits way above its weight. I think its of the best values to be had at the moment, easy to open on any weeknight at home or great to surprise a friend who will think you paid a lot more once they have tasted it.
