When choosing a “white Burgundy” to drink with friends, Bourgogne-Aligoté may not come readily to mind. Not surprising.
Most American importers and retailers give scant attention to Aligoté as Burgundy’s “other” white wine grape. But Bourgogne-Aligoté’s fortunes are changing.
SURGING QUALITY
The quality of Bourgogne-Aligoté wines has surged over the last decade thanks to dedicated efforts of a vanguard of winegrowers in the current generation. Their meticulous work with Aligoté both in the vineyards and cellars is bearing fruit. It starts with efforts to preserve old Aligoté vines, especially those growing on Burgundy’s rocky hillside terroirs.
At the same time, revitalized soils and healthier vines are becoming common as more widely adopted organic and biodynamic viticulture practices replace synthetic chemicals treatments in the vineyards. Harvest yields are being reduced, and growers are intervening less frequently both during fermentation and afterwards during élevage. Increasingly bottling occurs with minimal added sulfites.
In short, the vanguard growers lavish Bourgogne-Aligoté wines with a level of care and attention typically reserved for wines from more prestigious Burgundy appellations. Yet Bourgogne-Aligotés’ relatively reasonable prices create a delicious sweet spot of quality and value–or qualité/prix, as they say in France. This attracts savvy sommeliers and attentive consumers who are steadily embracing the pleasures of high quality Bourgogne-Aligoté.
“LES ALIGOTEURS”
More effective communications also help. Enter “Les Aligoteurs.” In 2018, Chef Philippe Delacourcelle of restaurant Bois Rouge in Flagey-Échezeaux joined Burgundy winegrowers Sylvain Pataille, Laurent Fournier and others to launch Les Aligoteurs as a membership association.
They introduced a Facebook page, held the first “salon” tasting of Bourgogne-Aligoté wines in April, 2018 and even inspired American rapper musicians Steven McDonald and Frank Bullington to create an entertaining video on Youtube. (“Aligoté is my go to….when I can’t splurge on a grand cru…”) A second salon tasting occurred in Paris on December 2, 2019.
BOURGOGNE-ALIGOTÉ AND TERROIR
Communications and ballyhoo aside, the key to discovering quality Bourgogne-Aligoté wines remains a matter of appreciating terroir and the dedicated growers behind the wines. To take a closer look, veteran Burgundy exporter Becky Wasserman-Hone and Russell Hone, Becky’s longstanding partner in gastronomic and drinking crime, recently opened their home for a gathering to taste over thirty Bourgogne-Aligoté. Three energetic growers, Sylvain Pataille, Jérôme Galeyrand and Benoît Pagot represented Les Aligoteurs.
BOURGOGNE-ALIGOTÉ CHAMPION: SYLVAIN PATAILLE
On a late afternoon in November, 2019, a chilly, drizzling rain fell softly on serene, white Charolaise cattle grazing contentedly in pastures along the winding road to the village of Bouilland, about 15 kilometers outside Beaune. Once arriving at chez Wasserman-Hone, a warmer, more cozy and welcoming feeling prevails.
Winegrower Sylvain Pataille explained the idea behind Les Aligoteurs. An initial concept hatched in 2011 when winegrower Pierre de Benoist visited Pataille in Marsannay-la-Côte. De Benoist produces benchmark Aligoté wines in Bouzeron at Domaine de Villaine.
“Pierre was pleasantly surprised to find so many old vines of Aligoté planted in head-pruned gobelet style on some of the best slopes in the Marsannay appellation,” Pataille recalls.
The old vines are a legacy of Marsannay’s particular winegrowing history as well as traditions prevalent well before implementation of France’s Appellation d’origine contrôlée system in the 1930’s.
“In the past, Burgundy vineyards were not just mono-cépage with one variety in each vineyard,” Becky Waserrman-Hone’s son, Paul Wasserman notes. “Usually around 15% of other varieties were co-planted, and Aligoté vines were planted even in grand cru vineyards. So the A.O.C laws made an allowance to let co-planted Aligoté vines remain at the grower’s option.”
Many elected to do so. But in the last half of the 20th Century when the use of synthetic chemical treatments in vineyards became pervasive, more and more growers opted for a mono-cépage approach. This often meant grubbing out exquisite older Aligoté vines whose naturally lower yields produce more intriguing wines. Today some growers continue to replace old Aligoté vines at an alarming rate in favor of more economically reliable Chardonnay clonal vines.
“After Pierre’s visit, we suggested to other Aligoté growers such as Anne Morey and Fred Lafarge that we should consider an association to help save the old vines throughout Burgundy by sharing massale sélections of the best Aligoté plantings,’ Pataille recalls. “We also wanted to share our experiences in making quality Bourgogne-Aligoté wines which have never been easy to sell at fair prices.
THE BIRTH OF “LES ALIGOTEURS”
Not much happened, however, until a fateful dinner at Chef Philippe Delacourcelle’s Bois Rouge restaurant in 2016.
‘Some growers told Philippe that we wanted to try the Aligotés on his wine list. He asked which bottles. We said “All of them.” It turned out to be many, many bottles,’ Pataille recalls. “It was the first time that he discovered we were completely mad, but he liked it.”
With Chef Delacourcelle’s assistance and urging, Pataille and fellow grower Laurent Fournier formed Les Aligoteurs and quickly recruited like-minded winegrowers such as Anne Morey, Pablo Chevrot and others.
“We look for members who believe in Aligoté and share the philosophy of producing quality Aligoté. These are growers who take the right approaches in the vineyards and cellar,” Pataille says. “We fight to change the image of Aligoté which consumers in France have long seen as a wine to be sold as cheaply as possible in supermarkets. Our goal is to create a better future for Aligoté and to help quality producers to sell their wines.”
BOURGOGNE-ALIGOTÉ NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE
“It will take time, but we will make the time. Whether it is a revolution or an evolution, I don’t know,” he adds. “The young generation now wants to prove that wines from the Bourgogne appellation, the Bourgogne-Hautes Côtes appellation and Bourgogne-Aligoté can be great.”
In other words, even though it would be less work and more profitable to replace old vines with more commercially reliable Chardonnay clones, Les Aligoteurs members cherish their aged Aligoté vines for something more enduring than just economics. Preserving old vines honors decades of labor and care during countless cycles of pruning, plowing, trellising, treatments and harvesting.
By keeping Aligoté vines and persisting in making quality wines, the growers embrace their connections to past generations even as they carve their own diverse personal identities as current winegrowers.
“We also want to show this diversity of high quality Bourgogne-Aligoté. For example, there are even excellent sparking Aligoté wines in the Mâcon,” Pataille adds. “Quality Bourgogne-Aligoté is not just one wine, but many. And besides, as the climate continues to warm, Aligoté could become the variety of the future. It retains plenty of fresh acidity even when harvested very ripe.”
TASTING CHEZ BECKY WASSERMAN-HONE
Aligoté’s diversity was on full display at the chez Wasserman-Hone tasting with the following outstanding wines as highlights. (All prices are the average for the USA as indicated on Wine-Searcher.com/ unless other shown; vintages may vary):
The 2018 Jérôme Galeyrand, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Cuvée Alligotay” ($28) comes from clay and limestone rich soils in both the Côte-d’Or and further south in the Côte-Chalonnaise.
“I use the name Alligotay to remember the old wines,” Galeyrand says.
The wine is textbook quality Aligoté: ripe orchard fruit aromas with a touch of green fruit on the nose. Ripe, round flavors in the glass with plenty of zesty freshness for balance of the generous, dry finish.
Winemaker Benoît Pagot’s2016 Domaine Gouffier, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Cuvée Aquaviva” ($28, currently available in Europe only) comes from chalk and marl vineyards in the Côte-Chalonnaise. After the harvest and destemming, the grapes receive an extended three-week maceration and slow fermentation on the skins in stainless steel tanks to give the wine’s subtle “orange” hue. This reflects the deep gold and ruddy skin colors that occur with ripe Aligoté grapes.
Aging of the wine occurred on the lees with part of the wine resting in older oak barrels. The wine’s nose offers delightful floral and tropical fruit aromas. In the glass, the wine delivers ripe citrus flavors with marvelous, lively freshness and saline savory notes.
Winegrower Pablo Chevrot likes to produce Aligoté “…off the well-marked trails.” Traditionally Aligotés from chemically aided, grossly over-cropped vines offered minimal aromatics, indistinct flavors and little or no body. Not so with the delicious 2018 Domaine Chevrot, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Cuvée des Quatre Terroirs” ($20) from Cheilly-lès-Maranges in the southern most part of the Côte-d’Or.
This wine comes from four parcels with relatively low-yielding vines between 35 and 50 years old. The Chevrot brothers work organically in the vines and are in conversion back to certification. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks. Light floral and tropical fruit aromas open from the glass. Ripe, lush flavors of passion fruit and apricot unfold on the palate balanced by lively acidity and a zesty, fresh finish. A vivacious wine full of lively pleasure.
The 2018 Charles Lachaux, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Les Champs d’Argent” (limited availability) strikes a distinctive note with a full-throttle style. Talented winegrower Charles Lachaux uses low yields of ultra-grapes from family owned Aligoté plots below the village of Vosne-Romanée. Some of the vines reach back nearly 90 years.
Lachaux trains the vines untrimmed, presses whole clusters, and ferments the juice with indigenous yeast in barrels. The wine ages for 12 months in barrel without new wood. It is neither fined nor filtered, and bottling occurs without adding sulfur. The wine’s golden color unfolds intense floral and ripe topical fruit aromas. There’s even a touch of honey perhaps from botrytis. Dense, concentrated tropical fruit flavors follow balanced by ample freshness. A stunning wine.
Next up, an elegantly balanced show stopper, the 2017 Domaine Jean Fournier, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Champ Forey” Vieilles Vignes ($24, limited availabilty). It comes from venerable Aligoté vines ranging from over 70 years old to well over 90 years old.
The deeply rooted wines grow in pebbly, gravel top soils over white limestone in a sunny, east facing location without much wind, according to winegrower Laurent Fournier. He farms organically (as certified by EcoCert) and also is converting to biodynamie.
“Today we have yields of only 35 to 40 hectoliters per hectare for Aligoté instead of nearly 100 hectoliters per hectare like 30 years ago when chemicals were used,” Laurent notes. After hand harvesting, he presses whole grape clusters and does not add sulfur. “This conserves more diverse aromas and flavors,” Fournier says.
He ferments the juice with strict temperature controls in concrete vats and large demi-muid barrels, and he never uses new wood for élevage. Fournier allows secondary malolactic fermentation to round out the wine before adding only a touch of sulfites at bottling.
Domaine Jean Fournier’s final Bourgogne-Aligoté “Champ Forey” offers intense, exuberant aromas of citrus and quince. On the palate, its crisp attack holds a perfect tension with delicious pure, ripe orchard fruits with rich concentration. Fresh, bright acidity and subtle creamy notes carry the elegant, dry finish. A beautifully textured wine with terrific energy and precision. Just outstanding. As an interesting side note, only the “back” label of Fournier’s wine mentions Bourgogne-Aligoté. The apparent “front” label offers only the domaine name and the name of the lieu-dit, “Champ Forey.”
This reminded Becky Wasserman-Hone of the American wine journalist David Schildknecht who is a former importer/retailer. As a retailer, Schildknecht referred to wines made from Aligoté simply as “white burgundies.”
“It happened to be true, and the wines sold better that way,” she recalls.
The 2017 François Mikulski, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($26) also comes from very old vines ranging from 70 years old to 90 years old planted by Mikulski’s grandfather. The vines occupy two plots on modest slopes with gravelly soils below the village of Meursault near the border with Puligny-Montrachet. Mikulski practices organic methods (but without certification), and he ferments the juice in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine offers bright ripe fruit and light herbal aromas. The crisp attack on the palate opens to ripe apple and pears with a hint of pleasant earthiness and herbs. Plenty of acidity balance the ripe fruit, and the wine finishes clean and refreshing. A delicious wine.
The delightful 2017 Chanterêves, Bourgogne-Aligoté, “Les Chagnots” ($39; limited availability) comes from veteran winemakers Tomoko Kuriyama and Guillaume Bott using old Aligoté Doré vines growing in deep clay soils near the village of Ladoix. The duo works organically and ferments direct press juice with indigenous yeasts in burgundy barrels. Extended aging occuurred in previously used barrels of various sizes. The wine went through malolactic secondary fermentation. Bottling occurred without either fining or filtering and with minimal added sulfties.
The wine opens with a marvelous array of fruit aromas–ripe peaches, citrus, and pears. In the glass, the intense, pure fruit delights continue balanced by superb freshness and a touch of creaminess. This is a rich yet elegantly balanced wine with direct, transparent fruit. Production is limited.
The 2017 Domaine Michel Lafarge, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Raisins Dorés” ($27) offers another classic version showing the Aligoté grape rendering a truly terroir-driven wine. It comes from 80 year old+ massal sélection vines growing in deep clay and limestone rich soils. The vines are certified organic and benefit from long-standing biodynamic viticulture. The Lafarge’s press whole clusters and ferment the juice with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Aging occurs in older barrels. On the nose, lovely white floral and peach aromas unfold. In the glass rich peach flavors arrive with full body and terrific freshness. A delicious wine ready for either immediate enjoyment or mid-term cellaring.
The 2017 Bertrand et Axelle Machard de Gramont, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($25) comes from vines growing high up in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits in “Le Chêne Court” lieu-dit vineyard in the village of Curtil-Vergy. Father and daughter winegrowers, Bertrand and Axelle, cultivate this beautiful, secluded site which occupies the stony soils of a former farm. Nearby lies L’Abbaye Saint-Vivant de Vergy, a 9th Century monastery being conserved and restored by an association led by burgundy winegrower Aubert de Villaine. A forest surrounds the vineyard, and voracious deer and wild boar pose a constant challenge for grape growing.
Despite these difficulties, the south-facing vineyard’s inspiring serentity and the sheer quality of the remaining fruit keep the winegrowers engaged and focused. Vineyard work is organic with certification. The hand-harvested Aligoté grapes ferment in used oak barrels and staninless steel tanks. After aging for one year, the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with minimal sulfites added.
The wine offers fresh citrus and distinct savory herbal aromas. On the palate, crisp, ripe citrus fruit with medium concentration balances with herbal accents, fresh acidity and a touch of creaminess through a fruity, but dry finish. Delicious and refreshing.
The 2018 Sylvain Pataille, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Classique,” ($31) is the grower’s “work horse” bottling with the largest production. It comes from 50-year old Aligoté Doré vines in two leading Marsannay vineyards. The “Champ Forey” site has gravel and limestone soils and the “Auvonnes” site has more clay and marl soils. The directly pressed juice ferments with indigenous yeast primarily in older barrels. Bottling occurs with minimal sulfur added. The wine opens with ripe fruit and a touch of spiciness. In the glass, lively, juicy fruit melds with subtle oak and spicy notes. Very fresh and tasty.
The superb 2017 Sylvain Pataille, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Les Auvonnes au Pépé” ($54) comes from a plot of old vines once owned by Sylvain’s grandfather (“Pépé”) within the “Les Auvonnes” vineyard in Marsannay. Pataille suggests that the’s clay and marl soils with small limestone rocks might be better suited commercially for Pinot Noir vines. But the connection with “Pépé” gives the wine sentimental value even though Pataille produces only about 25 cases annually.
Besides Pataille likes how the terroir gives “minerality” and distinct personality. The wine opens with ripe fruity aromas and subtle smoky, earthy notes. Ripe, juicy citrus and peach fruit explodes on the palate. This is a vibrant, lively wine full of tremendous vitality.
The 2017 Sylvain Pataille, Bourgogne-Aligoté “Clos du Roy” ($64) comes from 80+ year old vines growing on a moderate, gentle slope just north of Marsannay in the neighboring commune of Chenôve. The site’s storied history dates back to the Dukes of Burgundy in the 15th century. Its gravelly, iron rich soils create an opportunity for a distinct interpretation of Aligoté-Doré, and Pataille capitalizes fully. As with all his vineyards, Pataille works in organic and biodynamic methods to promote heathy, sturdy vines and vibrant soils. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts. Aging occurs in large, previously uses barrels for 24 month. Bottling occurs with minimal added sulfites. The wine opens with robust, fruity aromas. In the glass, ripe, juicy fruit reverberates in balance with zesty freshness. The wine has ample concentration, tightly wrapped and chiseled by fresh acidity.
Older Bourgogne-Aligotés at the chez Wasserman-Hone tasting included the delicious 2014 Domaine Pierre Morey, Bourgogne-Aligoté. The wine offers fresh citrus fruit aromas with light herbal notes. On the palate, precise, ripe peach fruit balances with complex savory notes layered with tremendous, fresh acidity. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink even at 5 years old. During a subsequent visit with Anne Morey at the family’s cellar in Meursault, she describes a sizeable holding of almost five acres of Aligoté vines that she and her father, the highly regarded Pierre Morey, cultivate in certified organic and biodynamie. They have two plots–both located in Meursault–with vines averaging fifty years old and some as old as 90 years.
“My grandfather considered replanting with Chardonnay, but in fact after the Second World War he planted Aligoté in Meursault–Les Tessons. Aligoté is still here because we like it so much,” Anne Morey says. “Today Chardonnay is the king, for sure, but Aligoté planted in beautiful terroirs can produce very good wines.”
“The vines are all our children, and we take care of them all exactly the same way, but with Aligoté perhaps with even more care, ” she adds. “Left on its own Aligoté produces huge quantities with lots of juice, and if harvested too early it is all acid and not very interesting. But when you take care of it properly it can be very rewarding.”
Just two weeks after bottling with minimal sulfites, the 2018 Domaine Pierre Morey, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($24) tasted in cellar offered a delicious wine which was fermented in glass-lined concrete tanks. Ripe peach and tropical fruit aromas open in the glass followed by round, fleshy peach flavors. Early on, Anne Morey felt that the 2018 vintage might lack adequate acidity for freshness.
“I see now that I was mistaken,” she says. This wine shows beautful freshness for fine balance of the juicy, ripe fruit. A marvelous wine and a great value.
Because no tasting of burgundy wines can end without fromage, Becky and Russell graciously completed the evening offering delectable cheeses including the seasonal coulant gem, Vacheron Mont d’Or.
ADDITIONAL BOURGOGNE-ALIGOTÉ OF NOTE
After the tasting at chez Wassermnan-Hone, additional outstanding Bourgogne-Aligoté wines emerged at a variety of domaine visits. These included:
Winegrowers Alice and Olivier De Moor produced a delicious 2018 De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté ($39) with generous, ripe fruit, tremendous purity and a long fresh finish. The couple lives in the hamlet of Courgis near Chablis, and they cultivate Aligoté vines organically in the nearby village of Chitry. The wine fements indigenous yeats and ages in stainless steel tanks and older barrels.
The excellent 2018 Domaine Goisot, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($20) comes from a perfectionist team, Guilhem and his father Jean-Hugues Goisot. They live in northern Burgundy in the beautiful stone-built village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. Their vines are certified organic and biodynamic, and this wine uses grapes grown on north facing slopes rich in clay and fossilized oyster shells. “Working with Aligoté is difficult to get right, like Pinot Noir,” Guilhem says. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts occurs in stainless steel tanks followed by aging sur lees also in tanks. The wine offers lovely white flower aromas with light herbal accents. Ripe peach and pear flavors follow with precise acidity and plesant creaminess. A gorgeous wine.
Talented grower Edouard Lepesme also works in northern Burgundy in the Bourgogne-Côtes d’Auxerre regional appellation. His 2018 Le Domaine d’Edouard, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($25) comes from organically farmed vines in the heights above the village of Vaux-Auxerre. The wind-swept location affords spectacular views of the Yonne River Valley below and the rolling sea of vines on the opposite hillsides. The wine unfolds delicate floral and quince fruit aromas before unfolding striking, perfectly balanced ripe fruit, crisp acidity and creamy notes. Terrific quality for the price.
The 2017 P-L et J-F Bersan, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($14, currently available in Europe only) comes from vines growing in Saint- Bris-le-Vineux on mainly Portlandian limestone. The fruit ferments in stainless steel tanks in extraordinary medieval stone cellars that the Bersan family has steadily excavated and renovated by hand. After resting on the lees for one year, the wine delivers immediately appealing peach and light herbal aromas. Ripe peach and apple flavors follow with pleasant creaminess and a long finish. Easy drinking pleasure from a fruity, high quality wine.
Winegrower Nicolas Maillet prefers keeping his feet planted daily in the vineyards observing and providing meticulous care to his vines. He has a profound belief in working hard to maximize the potential of the chalky white soils in the terroir of Mâcon-Verzé in southern burgundy. His white wines convey intense minerality and freshness to complement ripe fruit.
For example, his 2017 Nicolas Maillet, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($13, currently available in Europe only) is terrific. He ferments the fruit with natural yeasts at cool temperatures for extended periods. Aging occurs only in tanks, and bottling occurs with minimal added sulfites. Maillet’s distinctive Bourgogne-Aligoté delivers vibrant pleasure and power.
After founding their own domaine in 1990, Céline and Laurent Tripoz quickly converted to organic and then biodynamic farming. Their vines around Mâcon-Loché lie mainly on clay soils with plenty of limestone. They also have earned a reputation as one of southern Burgundy’s best sparkling wine producers. For example, the NV. Céline et Laurent Tripoz, Fleur d’Aligoté, Vin de France ($14, currently available in Europe only) offers persistent beads of bubbles with enticing fruit and yeasty aromas. On the palate, pure citrus fruit and creamy notes mingle with frothy effervescence and a clean, refreshing finish. This is true hand-crafted “méthode Champenoise Aligoté” made without either added suger or sulfites. Another example of the impressive diversity of style with quality Aligoté wines in Burgundy.
BOURGOGNE-ALIGOTÉ IN RESTUARANTS AND WINE SHOPS
A number of restaurants and bistros in Beaune’s bustling wine scene offer outstanding, diverse selections of Bourgogne-Aligotés. For example, try any of Caves Madeleine, La Dilletante, Le Comptoir de Tontons and Erik Brown’s Publican Mister Brown. And in Santenay, co-owner and respected sommelier Corinne Germain at Restaurant Le Terroir offers an especially wide range of excellent Aligoté wines from top producers including Domaine Chevrot, Bourgogne-Aligotés and Pierre de Benoist’s benchmark Domaine de Villaine, Bouzeron.
In Paris, retailers at the city’s bustling cavistes such La Cave des Papilles in Montparnasse (14ème arrondissement), Le Vin de Bohème near Square Gadette in quartier Saint-Ambroise (11ème arrondissement) and La Dernière Goutte in Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6ème arrondissement) now embrace wines from high quality Bourgogne-Aligoté producers.
In the Belleville quartier (19ème arrondissement), La Cave de Belleville is an épicerie selling tasty cheese and cured meats as well as a cave à manger where guests relax and enjoy tasty nibbles with either a glass or bottle of wine. The wide selection of Bourgogne-Aligotés includes the likes of Jean-Claude Rateau, Domaine Gouffier, Alice and Olivier De Moor and Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand.
Winegrower Clair Naudin’s delicious ’18 Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand, Bourgogne-Aligoté ($24) comes from sunny, limestone rich slopes in the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes. It ferments with native yeasts and then ages on the fine lees in stainless steel vats. Bottled with minimal sulfites. The wine’s ripe, round peach and citrus fruit balances with superb, zesty freshness with a touch of creaminess. It makes a nice complement to La Cave de Belleville’s tasty cheese plateau with Saint-Nectaire, Comté, Morbier and a “coulant” fermier cheese from near Paris.