Seems like most of the market, and many people in Burgundy, look down on Aligoté. However, I’ve had some excellent bottles myself. Do people actually tend to look down on Aligote and if so are they justified to do so?
It’s no surprise that Aligoté doesn’t reach the heights of Grand Cru Chardonnay, and maybe will always live in its shadow. However, someone from Burgundy recently told me that a lot of the Aligoté production is consumed blended in cocktails. This was particularly surprising to hear, since many serious producers in Burgundy also make Aligoté: a personal favorite is Sylvain Pataille’s ‘Clos du Roy’ lieux dit bottling.
It is possible that Aligoté has great potential but many producers don’t take it as seriously as they could. What do you all think? Is aligoté a second class wine overall, or simply lives in the shadow of exceptional chardonnay?
Climate change is giving Aligote a chance to shine. We’ll see what happens.
I have discussed with Chablis growers the potential benefit of allowing a small percentage of Aligote. There is interest, but the interprofessional committee is apparently composed of traditionalists and strongly opposed.
I’ve had some excellent Aligotes, and frankly, I’ll just about any Aligote I can get my hands on. The grape isn’t treated very well in most locales, but as Dan said, climate change may be giving the grape more of a chance. Certainly the de Villaine version from Bouzeron is stellar, particularly with several years of age. Walter Scott also makes an excellent Aligote.
De Villaine’s Bouzeron is consistently good and ages really well. Ramonet’s Bouzeron is a little rounder and fleshier, but absolutely delicious on release. A few producers we import for make superb Aligoté. Laurent Fournier is a great exponent of the variety and the Domaine Jean Fournier ‘Aux Boutieres’ bottling off 100 year-old-vines is worth seeking out. Jean-Marc Vincent’s NV, Aligoté Soler is as intriguing as it is brilliant. So deep, rich and powerful. The Jean-Claude Boisset Aligoté “Les Moutots” is a value play in most years and Domaine Jessiaume make a really nice, old vines Aligoté.
I find it perhaps to be a little inferior to Chardo, but there are many examples where it excels. I think a lot of winemakers try it out to see what they can push it to, and I really love that approach.
Chantereves has made some really really good cuvees. De Moor and Claire Naudin too.
I like trying aligotes quite a bit. Most of the time I find them to be just ok to good rather than excellent, but it scratches the occasional itch for something slightly different.
The best one I’ve had recently was the Vincent Soler-Al. I brought that to the Eden vertical tasting, and it showed really well. The most complex and complete Aligote I can recall. I also brought a Pierre Oliver Garcia to the same tasting. Less interesting but very pleasant in a clean and floral way, without any of the bitterness that I find in some Aligote. Had a Pavelot (2020?, Luc and Lise) that was great. Good experience with Pataille, Ramonet (Aligote and Bouzeron), Naudin-Ferrand, and Jacqueson too, off the top of my head. Would recommend any of those. Had an de moor that was undrinkable and havent gone back. Benjamin Leroux, Nicolas Morin, and Theo Dancer are on deck to try soon.
I think the JM Vincent Solera is a great wine, better than the Arnoux and Roulot renditions which sell for much more.
I’ve blinded multiple people on this wine, none of who called it Aligote and all who said it was great - and very surprised by the reveal. I’ve listed a few on Commerce Corner and the number of people who say “but its Aligote?” and pass has surprised me. A consignment shop wanted me to sell them for a low price (I cannot recall, but I think net to me would be $45) “because its Aligote”. So my takeaway is people like Aligote, but prefer a label that says Chardonnay. So I find them to be good value on wine lists. And re the Solera, I’m enjoying drinking them, drinking them with friends and blinding geeks on it. I think highly enough of the wine that I recently gifted a bottle of it to a well-known winemaker on this Board. Maybe I’ll blind another famous winemaker on it later this month…
I would like to try William’s Aligote one day. I’ve heard its better…
I’ve only had a few Aligote wines, and I remember particularly enjoying the de Villaine Bouzeron. Lean, lively, citrusy, with a nice mineral cut. But if I’m being totally honest, I don’t recall anything distinguishing it from Chardonnay. My tasting note: “To me, this tasted like a good quality regional Bourgogne Blanc. Honestly, nothing in the palate distinguished the Aligote in this wine from Chardonnay. I couldn’t tell the difference.”
Pardon my ignorance, but what sorts of flavors does one look for in Aligote that would distinguish it from Chardonnay, or any other neutral white grape, for that matter?
(An aside: the only other CellarTrack TN I have for an Aligote is PYCM, which had so much reduction and acid that it was like drinking lemon juice out of a gun barrel. There was no typicity or varietal character that I could discern: acid and brimstone was all I got.)
I like aligoté. As with chardonnay its inherent rather offputting flavour needs ruthless suppression but it is easier to do that with the former than the latter.
I don’t need inventory that won’t move, and only have so much time to hand sell wines. Generally the alighted brought in by the distributors are relatively mediocre.
We drink quite a bit of it when in Europe; it is widely available in restaurants for a reasonable price. I like DeMoor and Pataille, among others. Have some Kelley on order and look forward to tasting it.
I’m sorry that the Vincent is nothing like William’s 2021, which I’ve enjoyed once, it would be nice to think that there was something other than D’Auvenay on the same level. On that occasion it seemed to me pretty close to the pinnacle of what white burgundy can achieve;I am told that it has closed down a bit recently.
Living in Germany and close to Austria I see no reason to spend money on Aligote … even the best ones ( Ponsot, Coche-Dury etc) are no match for the fine Rieslings, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon blanc etc (but much more expensive)
