The third session in our seemingly unending series of Aligoté tastings. The notes from the previous two tastings can be read here:
The Other White Burgundy aka. Aligoté
Aligoté, pt. 2: another study of 14 wines
We started off with two random blinds, the first one brought by yours truly. Then we plowed through a bunch of Aligotés made in a wildly different styles, followed by a few more blind extras.
The naturalistas performed quite unreliably - some wines and vintages were great, others lukewarm at best. It does irritate me a bit when you come across a great wine and if you buy a bottle of the next vintage, it can be something wildly different that time around. Even if Aligotés don’t fetch the same kinds of prices as many Burgundy Chardonnays, I think it would still be reasonable to expect some kind of reliability at these prices?
Well, at least the PYCM wines performed exactly as one can expect. I understand how some people say these wines don’t taste like the place or the variety, they taste like PYCM - but I do love that style. At least for now!
Probably the best surprise here was the Petit-Roy Aligoté. Never had anything from this producer before, so I had no expectations of the wine. Easily among the best wines of the night!
- 2021 Makarounas Spourtiko - Cyprus, Paphos (4.1.2024)
100% Spourtiko from 15-yo ungrafted vineyards located at the altitude of 450 to 500 m asl in Letymbou, western Cyprus. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 7 months on the lees. 11,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. The nose feels open and herby with aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some leesy tones, a little bit of fresh Fuji apple and white currant, light sweeter notes of cantaloupe, a hint of juicy white peach and a salty touch of sea air. The wine feels ripe, firm and slightly waxy on the palate with dry flavors of chopped aromatic herbs and some leesy tones, a little bit of crunchy Granny Smith apple, light juicy notes of cantaloupe, a hint of tangy salinity and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, dry and refreshing with a rather long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some herby tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light crunchy notes of white currants, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of salinity.
A nice, fresh and sophisticated white that feels like a ripe warm-region white and a crisp, firm cool-region white, both at the same time. Despite being a rare indigenous variety, the wine isn't particularly characterful - but not a disappointing one either. Seeing how Spourtiko has been traditionally used to moderate higher levels of alcohol (as it is a variety with a propensity towards lower potential alcohol), I'm not surprised the wine isn't particularly thrilling as a monovarietal wine. However, both me and many others seemed to enjoy the bright, ripe and vibrant yet fresh, firm and dry overall style of this wine. I have no idea if the wine is built to age, but at least it drinks just fine right now. Maybe not entirely worth the 22,73€, but not prohibitively expensive, either.
(88 points) - 2018 Gedeelte Wines Barren Sands Palomino St Helena Bay - South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland (4.1.2024)
100% Palomino from a vineyard planted in 1978 on sandy soils. The crushed grapes are fermented spontaneously in tanks, then racked into oak barrels in which the wines age under a veil of flor. 10,5% alcohol, 5,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,3. Total production 960 bottles. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep straw-yellow color. The nose feels a bit wild, somewhat waxy and slightly funky with nuanced aromas of fresh peach, some herby green tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light sauvage notes of leathery funk, a hint of fresh white fruit and a touch of green almond. The wine feels quite ripe and broad yet still somewhat neutral on the palate with a medium body and nuanced, slightly funky flavors of fresh white fruit, some leathery and waxy funk, a little bit of stony minerality, light honeyed nuances, a hint of aldehydic salinity and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The wine is moderately high in acidity - which is quite much for a Palomino! The finish is somewhat neutral, but also quite crunchy, lively and slightly wild with a rather long aftertaste of ripe white fruit, some leathery funk, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light stony minerality, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of tangy salinity.
A fine, balanced and surprisingly serious effort for a varietal, dry and unfortified Palomino! Even though the wine is supposedly aged under flor, the overall feel isn't particularly similar to, say, a Fino Sherry - there was only maybe a tiny bit of aldehydic sharpness in the nose and even less on the palate. The funky and leathery tones had much more prominence instead - and only for the good, since Palomino is a very neutral variety in flavor. I think this might've been a very neutral and underwhelming wine had it been vinified into a typical, contemporary white wine. However, with this somewhat off-piste treatment, the wine was much more interesting with lots of wild non-fruit flavors that complemented the flavor profile in a very nice manner. All in all, a characterful and interesting effort. Not maybe a grand vin, but I enjoyed the wine quite a bit all the same.
(89 points) - 2021 Armand Heitz Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté from a 0,5-hectare vineyard planted in 1985 in Meursault. Harvested on September 30th, 2021 and aged in used, neutral oak barrels for 8 months. 12,5% alcohol. Total production 1214 bottles.
Pale, youthful whitish-green color. The nose feels rather ripe and a bit herby with aromas of sweet white fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of juicy greengage, light crunchy notes of fresh Fuji apple and a herby pilsner-like hint of noble hops. The wine feels ripe, broad and juicy yet still wonderfully firm on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of white peach, some sweeter greengage, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of salinity, a mineral hint of chalk dust and a touch of crunchy red apple. The mouthfeel is slightly viscous and concentrated, but the high acidity lends great sense of freshness, precision and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe and juicy with a rather long aftertaste of sweet white peach, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light appley nuances, a hint of greengage and a touch of chalky minerality.
A sophisticated, fresh and harmonious Aligoté. The wine is ripe with some sense of breadth and even a bit of viscosity - probably the oak élevage has granted the wine some heft - yet the overall feel is, true to the variety, wonderfully fresh and precise with brisk acidity and great sense of structure. The overall feel is youthful, but not too primary - meaning that the wine is drinking really well already now. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the wine actually continued to evolve and develop over the next 5 to 8 years. At least the wine will keep just fine for another decade or so. Good stuff, recommended.
(91 points) - 2021 Boris Champy Bourgogne-Aligoté Doré Presse Verticale 429 - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté Doré from old vineyards in Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, planted above 400 m above sea level. The grapes are pressed in a traditional vertical press. Fermented and aged for 12 months in 600-liter demi-muids (1/3 new), then the barrels are blended together in a stainless steel tank and left to marry for a month. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels rather ripe with aromas of fresh Fuji apple, some zesty citrus fruit notes, a little bit of chopped herbs, light woody tones, a hint of sweet white peach, a touch of perfumed floral character and a whiff of creamy oak. The wine feels crisp, brisk and tangy on the palate with a medium body and precise but also slightly linear flavors of steely minerality and lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of fresh red apple, light crunchy notes of white currants, a hint of wet rocks and a touch of salinity. Structured high acidity. The finish is crisp, dry and mineral with a moderately long aftertaste of wet rocks and lemony citrus fruits, some sharp Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light sweeter notes of white peach and a hint of creamy oak.
A nice and enjoyably crisp but perhaps a bit neutral Aligoté. As the wine is still very young, I'm sure it's possible that the wine was caught in an awkward adolescent phase. As the wine shows good potential for development, I can imagine the wine will get better with a handful of additional years in a cellar. At the moment the wine is quite lovely, but nothing particularly memorable.
(88 points) - 2020 Fanny Sabre Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks. Aged for at least 6 months in old oak barrels. 12% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels slightly wild and waxy with light aromas of fresh golden apples, some spicy tones, a little bit of savory wood, light sweeter notes of yellow fruit and a vague and slightly odd hint of something plastic. The wine feels dry, crisp and zippy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and lively flavors of stony minerality, some citrus notes of pomelo and key lime, a little bit of saline minerality, light herby nuances, a sharp hint of Granny Smith apple and a touch of creamy oak. The brisk acidity lends good sense of freshness and energy to the wine. The finish is racy and somewhat neutral with a medium-long aftertaste of key lime and other tart citrus fruits, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of waxy funk, light herby tones and a hint of something plastic.
I had this wine a little while ago and while somewhat reductive, it was still a quite lovely and precise effort with good potential for future development. However, this time the wine seemed somewhat neutral and understated with a somewhat plastic-y element that distracted from the pleasure. Most likely the wine hasn't evolved into this kind of weird direction in such a short span of time, so most likely this was an off bottle. However, just in the case it wasn't, I'm scoring the wine accordingly.
(86 points) - 2020 François Rousset-Martin Aligoté Aligato - France, Vin de France (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté from a 40-yo parcel (planted in 1980) in Bouzeron. Vinified and aged in old Burgundy pièces in Jura. Bottled unfined and unfiltered without any SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, quite youthful lemon-yellow color. The nose feels salty and quite mineral with aromas of herbal spice, some flinty notes of reduction, a little bit of crisp citrus character, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of crunchy white currant and a funky touch of phenolic spice. The wine feels surprisingly brisk, lean and high-strung on the palate with a medium body and slightly sauvage flavors of wild waxy character, some zesty citrus fruit notes, a little bit of phenolic spice, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a reductive hint of flint smoke and a touch of fresh peach. The bracing acidity makes the wine feel pretty racy and tightly-wound. The finish is somewhat ripe and juicy yet still quite acid-driven with a rather long aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some mineral notes of wet rocks, light funky notes of phenolic spice and waxy character, a little bit of crunchy white currant, a reductive hint of gunpowder smoke and a touch of fresh peachy fruit.
A characterful, slightly funky and quite tightly-knit Aligoté with the lean, mineral notes lending a somewhat Jura feel to the wine - even if the fruit is sourced from Burgundy! I feel the slightly more weighty 2018 that we tasted some years ago was more open for business from the get-go, whereas this 2020 feels somewhat leaner, closed and more tightly-wound at the moment. There's lots of things going on, but to me, the wine is still in a somewhat awkward phase and it could really use a some years more to open up. The wine does show potential for future development, but it is going to take a bit more time to get fully realized. Fun, slightly funky yet still wonderfully fresh stuff, anyways.
(90 points) - 2019 Emmanuel Rouget Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté. Bottled unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale lime-green color. The nose feels ripe and somewhat sweet-toned with nuanced aromas of cantaloupe and juicy yellow apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet chopped herby character, light beeswax tones, a hint of nutty wood and a faint touch of vanilla custard. The wine feels broad, ripe and juicy with a moderately full body and layered flavors of stony minerality, some sweet notes of white peach, a little bit of creamy oak, light honeyed tones, a hint of ripe Fuji apple and a touch of nutty oak. The rather high acidity lends good sense of balance and freshness to the wine. The finish is ripe, rich and juicy with a long, dry aftertaste of spicy red apple, some sweet white peach, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of nutty wood.
This continues to be a nice, serious and enjoyably complex Aligoté that comes across as maybe a tad fruitier and weightier than your run-of-the-mill Aligoté with slightly more ripeness and maybe a bit more oak influence that you usually see with this variety. However, Aligoté carries all this with remarkable ease, thanks to the inherent freshness and naturally high acidity typical of the variety. Unlike the 2017 that we had a few years ago, which was starting to show a bit age, this 2019 vintage is still very youthful and bursting with energy - but is also past its most primary phase, fortunately. All in all, this is a fine and quite impressive effort that is drinking really well right now, but which is going to evolve and improve for a number of years as well. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2019 Petit-Roy Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from the lieu-dit Aux Boutières planted between 1983 and 1984 in Savigny-les-Beaune. Fermented spontaneously, aged in old oak barrels. Bottled with a minimal dose of SO2. 12,5% alcohol.
Somewhat concentrated, youthful yet moderately deep yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, sweet-toned and somewhat concentrated with layered aromas of peach and yellow apple, some honeyed tones, a little bit of sweet herbal character, light creamy oak tones, a hint of greengage, a woody touch of savory old oak and a whiff of woolly lanolin. The wine feels fresh yet dense and firm on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some spicy herbal notes, a little bit of fresh nectarine, light saline mineral notes, a hint of beeswax and a touch of tangy salinity. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and precision to the wine. The finish is long, complex and juicy with a somewhat concentrated aftertaste of peachy stone fruit and juicy cantaloupe, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh nectarine, light sweeter nuances of greengage, a hint of herby spice and a touch of stony minerality.
A ripe yet wonderfully fresh and precise Aligoté that comes across as surprisingly concentrated and quite impressive, yet not at all heavy or clumsy in any way. There's just a bit more depth and substance to the wine than you'd expect for an Aligoté - yet the emphasis is entirely on the fruit department, meaning that the oak impact has been kept to minimum. Basically the oak élevage seems to have granted the wine some breadth and creamy richness without obfuscating any of the fruit elements. It's hard to say whether the wine is an Aligoté that performs best while young, or if this is capable of evolving and improving with additional aging, but at least the wine is drinking mighty well right now. Superb stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2019 Domaine Derain Vin de France Allez-Goutons - France, Vin de France (4.1.2024)
I actually don't know whether this wine is 2019 or 2022, since there is no vintage designation - just a lot number that says "L.19.22". 13% alcohol.
Hazy, youthful lime-green color. The nose feels ripe yet rather wild with aromas of cidery, appley fruit, some herby notes, a little bit of phenolic funk, light leesy tones and a hint of leather. The wine feels ripe, broad and slightly wild on the palate - but less so than the nose suggests - with a medium-to-moderately full body and flavors of honeyed richness, some sweet herby notes of tarragon and basil, a little bit of leathery funk, light leesy tones, a slightly volatile hint of white balsamico and a touch of phenolic spice. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine in balance, but the overall feel is lacking some freshness and zip. The finish is ripe and a bit funky, but overall still quite clean with flavors of juicy golden apple, some cidery tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light herby nuances of tarragon, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of leesy yeast.
The nose feels quite natural, but on the palate the wine is surprisingly clean - despite the somewhat hazy appearance and a moderately wild nose. Although I had my reservations at first, this turned out to be a quite nice nice wine after all. My only qualm here is the acidity - or the lack of it. Aligoté is a variety known to be high - often very high - in acidity, so it just feels the wine isn't doing its job that well. While the 2019 Love and Pif that we tasted next to this was higher in acidity, I still maybe liked this Derain version more - due to its more controlled level of funk.
(89 points) - 2019 Yann Durieux Love and Pif - France, Vin de France (4.1.2024)
A naturalist Aligoté from a biodynamically farmed 50 yo parcel. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, vinified without any SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. The bottle has no vintage designation, only the lot number "LLPYD19", suggesting this is 2019 vintage.
Youthful and slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat wild and slightly reductive with aromas of chopped aromatic herbs and gunpowder smoke, some saline notes of ocean air, a little bit of wild waxy character, light lifted notes of VA, a hint of fresh white peach and a touch of cantaloupe. The wine feels firm, somewhat funky and slightly lifted on the palate with a medium body and a bit wild flavors of ripe yellow apples, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of ripe white peach, light acetic notes of vinegary sharpness, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of leathery funk. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is lively, somewhat funky and quite lengthy with a dry aftertaste of saline minerality, some lifted wild notes, a little bit of ripe lemony citrus fruit, light sweeter nuances of ripe white peach, a hint of acetic sharpness and a funky touch of phenolic spice.
A decent and not overtly natty yet still quite obviously a very natural non-interventionist Aligoté. I liked the sense of freshness and structure here, but the funky tones felt quite dominant in relation to the somewhat understated fruit flavors, and the level of VA seemed more "acetic" than just "lifted". There were some redeeming qualities in this wine, but all in all, it felt a bit more natural to me than I prefer.
(88 points) - 2021 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from a parcel planted in 1995 in Chitry, Bourgogne. Aged for a in year oak vats and old Burgundy barrels. Bottled unfiltered or lightly filtered. 12% alcohol.
Pale, neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels very youthful with primary aromas of perfumed floral tones, some candied notes of gummi bear, a little bit of pear, light leesy nuances and a hint of fresh white peach. The wine feels youthful, crunchy and very crisp - almost tart - on the palate with a noticeably light body and somewhat thin flavors of lemon water, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of tart key lime, light sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a hint of crunchy white currant and a touch of tangy salinity. The bracing acidity makes the wine feel very high-strung and quite incisive. The finish is crisp, tart and lively with a light, medium-long aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of crunchy green currant, light candied primary fruit notes and a hint of key lime.
A surprisingly light and thin vintage of de Moor Aligoté - this was very unlike any other vintage in our mini-vertical ranging from 2021 to 2018. I loved the electric acidity here, but the fruit department felt too understated and the body of the wine too light to give enough counterpoint to the sharpness of the acidity. At the moment the wine is just too steely and austere. I've loved this particular label in the previous vintages, but this wine feels like the grapes never had enough time to ripen fully. The wine is sufficiently ripe in the sense that it doesn't come across as green or vegetal, but the wine is just thin and quite underwhelming in ever respect, apart from the acidity. Most likely the wine will get better with age, as the candied fermentation esters will go away as the wine ages - however, I'm not sure if the wine will otherwise come together with further cellaring. The overall feel is now just too high-strung, nervous and unbalanced to give a proper picture of the wine.
(85 points) - 2020 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from a parcel planted in 1995 in Chitry, Bourgogne. Aged for a in year oak vats and old Burgundy barrels. Bottled unfiltered or lightly filtered. 13% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy greenish color. The nose feels quite weird and vegetal with some green-toned - maybe aldehydic? - notes of green apple slices and sorrel, some chopped green herbs, a little bit of honeydew melon and a sweeter hint of ripe yellow apple. The wine feels quite ripe, rather juicy and very slightly fizzy on the palate with a medium body and somewhat green-toned flavors of leafy vegetal greenness, some possibly aldehydic notes of sorrel and bruised green apple, a little bit of leesy yeast, light crunchy notes of green currants and a hint of tangy salinity. The wine is high in acidity. The finish is lively, firm and rather long with a moderately green-toned aftertaste of green apple slices, some vegetal leafy notes, a little bit of leesy yeast, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of sorrel and a touch of green herbs.
This was a weird one. The mouthfeel and the overall balance is pretty harmonious here, but the flavor profile is weirdly green, almost vegetal. I have no idea if the wine hasn't reached sufficient flavor ripeness - ie. there are some unwanted methoxypyrazines in the wine - or if the wine is suffering from acetaldehyde, which might be the result of some unwanted micro-organisms in the fermentation process. At least the wine does smell and taste a bit like a Fino Sherry with those green apple and sorrel notes. All in all, this might've been a nice wine, but with its green, vegetal overall flavor profile, it wasn't. I found it quite difficult to enjoy the wine fully. What really bothers me is that only one other TN in CT mentions this atypical greenness. I wonder if there is just huge bottle variation and we just run out of luck, or if some people just don't notice these overtly green notes?
(82 points) - 2019 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
From a parcel planted in 1995 in Chitry, Bourgogne. Aged for 11 months in old Burgundy barrels and enameled tanks. Bottled unfiltered or lightly filtered. 13,5% alcohol.
Rather pale, neutral and slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, juicy and slightly wild with somewhat sweet-toned aromas of ripe white peach and waxy funk, some crunchy Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light nutty notes of chopped almonds, a hint of herby greenness and a touch of tangerine. The wine feels ripe, broad and balanced on the palate with a medium body and lively flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and crunchy white currant, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of fresh white peach, light nutty notes of chopped almonds, a sauvage hint of lifted volatile sweetness and waxy funk and a sweet touch of ripe nectarine. There's a sweet edge to the fruit here, but the racy acidity keeps the wine effortlessly very fresh and harmonious. The finish is long, nuanced and vibrant with flavors of white peach, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light herby notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of lemony citrus fruit.
A still very youthful but no longer primary vintage of de Moor Aligoté that remains probably the best vintage of this label from the recent vintages - in our mini-vertical of vintages 2021 to 2018, this was the best one, although the 2018 was very close (curiously it felt that the warmer 2018 vintage was slightly lighter and fresher, while this cooler 2019 vintage showed more weight, ripeness and sweetness of fruit!). While there's a distinct - almost atypical - sense of sweetness here (perhaps there's a touch of RS?), the wine carries it remarkably well, all thanks to its brisk acidity and cool mineral overtones. While still very youthful, the wine drinks remarkably well already now. Drink or keep for some years - probably best if drunk before its 10th birthday. Excellent value at 20€.
(93 points) - 2018 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
From a parcel planted in 1995 in Chitry, Bourgogne. Aged for 11 months in old Burgundy barrels and enameled tanks. Bottled unfiltered or lightly filtered. 13% alcohol.
Rather pale lime-green color. The nose feels slightly reductive with aromas of flinty smoke, some citrus notes of lemon and key lime, a little bit of sweet yellow apple, light cantaloupe notes, a hint of waxy funk and a faint bretty touch of leather. The wine feels firm, lively and slightly funky on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some savory umami notes, a little bit of wild waxy character, light stony and salty mineral notes, a reductive hint of flinty smoke and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness, focus and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, crisp and lively with a long aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple, some apple peel bitterness, light saline mineral notes, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of savory umami character.
Although the wine does show quite high level of ripeness, typical of the 2018 vintage, the wine is still surprisingly fresh, crisp and acid-driven in style - curiously even more so than the slightly fruitier and sweeter-toned 2019 vintage! Overall I felt the 2019 showed more depth and complexity compared to this 2018 vintage, but it might be also because the 2018 seemed surprisingly young and still somewhat more linear - seeing how the wine is still so youthful and aging at a rather slow pace, I wouldn't be surprised if this vintage turned out to be both more long-lived and more impressive than the 2019 vintage with enough time.
(92 points) - 2021 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Bas des Ees - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
A single-vineyard Aligoté from a parcel near Marey-les-Fussey. Fermented with indigenous yeasts using a pied de cuve. Aged for 12 months in used oak barrels ranging from 228 to 600 liters in size. Bottled with a minimal addition of SO2. 11,5% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy whitish-green color. The nose feels somewhat restrained and a bit neutral with subtle aromas of fresh white fruits, some appley tones, a little bit of waxy funk and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The wine feels crisp, lively and very high-strung on the palate with a light body and rather austere flavors of apple peel bitterness, some crunchy notes of green currants, a little bit of waxy funk, light mineral notes of wet rocks and salinity and a hint of pithy grapefruit. The bracing acidity lends almost electric energy to the wine, but as the fruit department feels a little bit thin, the wine comes across as slightly unbalanced. The finish is crisp, dry and lively with a moderately long, dry aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple, some grapefruity notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light waxy tones and a hint of apple peel bitterness.
A refreshing but also quite lean, thin and slightly underwhelming Aligoté. I normally love the Chânetereves whites, but even if the wine doesn't feel green or vegetal, the overall feel is somewhat under-ripe and lacking in balance. There just isn't enough body and fruit to serve as a sufficient counterpoint to the bracing acidity. Tasting the wine next to a couple of 2020 Chanterêves Aligotés only accentuated the somewhat unbalanced feel of the wine. Although not a bad wine by any means, this really didn't really hit the mark.
(87 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Les Chagniots - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
A single-vineyard Aligoté from an old 0,17-hectare parcel. Fermented with indigenous yeasts using a pied de cuve. Aged for 12 months in used oak barrels ranging from 228 to 600 liters in size. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale, youthful and very slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels open, expressive and slightly sweet-toned with aromas of tropical fruits, some honeyed tones, a little bit of fresh nectarine, light primary notes of pear juice, a hint of apple jam and a touch of creamy oak. The wine feels fresh, youthful and quite crisp on the palate with a light-to-medium body and intense flavors of crunchy green apples and lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of cantaloupe, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of salinity and a wild touch of waxy funk. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of freshness, balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long, dry and subtly wild with a nuanced aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of fresh white peach, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of exotic fruits and a wild touch of waxy funk.
A characterful, sophisticated and balanced single-vineyard Aligoté that is surprisingly clean for a Chanterêves wine; there's a little bit of that waxy funk that tells you this is a non-interventionist wine (if the subtly hazy appearance didn't make that clear), but in all other aspects this is a pretty conventional Aligoté. Maybe a bit more serious and complex than is usually typical of the variety. The bottle we tasted a few months earlier seemed a bit lighter in body and its acidity and freshness seemed a bit more subdued. This time the wine performed much better, showing a bit more weight and having its bright acidity nicely to the fore. All in all, a nice effort that will continue to evolve and improve for at least a handful of years. Perhaps not the most impressive 2020 Chanterêves single-vineyard Aligoté, but a lovely little drop all the same.
(90 points) - 2020 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Miarlons du bas - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté from Miarlons du Bas, a vineyard in the commune of Fussey planted in 1980. This lieu-dit was the last one picked at Chanterêves in 2020. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months in old 228-liter oak pièces and larger-format casks, then blended into stainless steel tanks with the fine lees. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with minimal to no SO2 additions. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale, youthful and very slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, broad and attractive with expressive and quite lush aromas of juicy apricot and apple jam, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light stony mineral notes, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of waxy funk. The wine feels ripe, broad and even slightly concentrated with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of ripe yellow apple and sweet honeydew melon, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of apricot, light wild notes of waxy funk, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of tangy salinity. The acidity feels sufficiently high to keep the wine fresh and structured despite the elevated ripeness and sense of concentration. The finish is long, broad and refreshing with a nuanced, slightly wild aftertaste of sweet appley fruit, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of waxy funk, light honeydew melon nuances, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of vanilla.
A characterful, somewhat ripe and even somewhat substantial Aligoté with lots of depth and nuance. This wine seems a bit bigger, sweeter and weightier than Chanterêves Aligotés normally do, and there's a bit of oak influence you normally don't see in these wines. However, thanks to the good sense of acidity, structure and balance, the wine remains very impressive and eminently enjoyable from the beginning to the end. Additionally, this wine didn't seem to be as reductive and closed as the bottle we sampled a few months earlier. All in all, great stuff - this is an impressive effort already now, but I can see this wine evolving and improving for a number of years more. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2020 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté from +45 yo vineyards in Haut-Côtes de Beaune (75%) and Chassagne-Montrachet (25%). The grapes are crushed in whole bunches and fermented spontaneously in 350-liter oak barrels. Aged in predominantly old 350-liter oak barrels for 14 months, then blended together and aged for a few months in stainless steel tanks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit closed and reduced with a classic PYCM nose of grilled pineapple and flinty reduction, some fresh red apple tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light peachy nuances, a hint of stony minerality and a faint reductive touch of hard-boiled eggs. The wine feels youthful, crunchy and quite high-strung on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and ripe Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of incisive steely character, light reductive notes of flint smoke, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of grilled pineapple. The brisk acidity lends great sense of freshness and energy to the wine. The finish is crisp, quite acid-driven and a bit closed with a long, zippy aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light peachy notes, a flinty hint of smoky reduction and a touch of fresh peachy stone fruit.
A crisp, brisk and stylish Aligoté that maybe tastes more like the smoky, reductive PYCM style than the variety, but that is to be expected of a PYCM wine if you open them this young. The sense of electric energy, cool minerality and wonderfully acid-driven structure - they are all there. However, the overall feel is still dominated by the smoky, flinty reduction so typical of PYCM, making the wine come across as somewhat closed at the moment. Nevertheless, this is a lovely effort that can be enjoyed already now - but since the wine feels very promising at the moment, I'm pretty sure it is going to open up, evolve and improve fantastically over the 10 years or so. Drink if you have to, but I'd recommend letting the wine wait - at least that's what I'm going to do with my bottles. Not the most affordable Aligoté at 40,30€, but worth it.
(92 points) - 2019 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (4.1.2024)
100% Aligoté from +45 yo vineyards in Haut-Côtes de Beaune (75%) and Chassagne-Montrachet (25%). The grapes are crushed in whole bunches and fermented spontaneously in 350-liter oak barrels. Aged in predominantly old 350-liter oak barrels for 14 months, then blended together and aged for a few months in stainless steel tanks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Quite youthful, rather pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels fresh, crunchy and slightly reductive with aromas of nectarine and fresh red apple, some flinty notes of smoke, a little bit of sharp lemony citrus fruit, light honeyed nuances, a hint of salty liquorice powder, a touch of grilled pineapple and a whiff of creamy oak. The wine feels lively, firm and crunchy on the palate with a medium body with brisk flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some reductive smoky tones, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light saline mineral notes, a hint of grilled pineapple and a touch of sweet, creamy oak. The wine shows some sense of concentration and extraction, but the racy acidity lends so much structure and electric energy to the wine that it feels wonderfully vivacious and playful despite its power and ripeness. The finish is long, dry and crunchy with an intense aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and stony minerality, some smoky notes of struck flint, a little bit of tangy salinity, light Granny Smith apple nuances, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of grilled pineapple.
A fantastic white wine; maybe one that tastes more like PYCM than Aligoté, but as long as it is this good, I don't mind it one little bit. Furthermore, tasting this next to the 2020 vintage of the same wine, it feels like the reduction is slowly starting to recede, revealing more varietal character underneath. The wine feels somewhat concentrated with quite a bit of dry extract, but at the same time the wine does show tons of that lemony zip and freshness Aligoté is known for. As the wine is still super youthful, I can see it evolving wonderfully for many more years. However, this is simply superb stuff already now. One of the most impressive Aligotés I've had in a while.
(93 points) - 1978 Picco Cav. Marco Caluso Passito - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Caluso Passito (4.1.2024)
100% Erbaluce made with grapes that are harvested early and then dried for several months before pressing them. 15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
The appearance is old, murky and moderately opaque syrupy-brown - this is probably one of the most ugly wines I've seen! The nose feels old, pungent and oxidative with aromas of syrupy molasses and caramel, some sharp notes of rancio, a little bit of dried dates and other wizened dark fruits, light nutty notes of oxidation, a hint of aldehydic greenness, a touch of autumnal leaves and a whiff of cigar ashtray. The wine feels sweet and evolved on the palate - yet noticeably younger and less tertiary than the nose suggested - with a relatively light body and intense flavors of treacle and malt syrup, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light sweet notes of dried dates and Sultana raisins, an aldehydic hint of sorrel and a touch of bruised apple. The bright, piercing acidity made the wine feel surprisingly precise and structured, despite all the sweetness. The finish is crisp, long and quite tertiary with an intense, sweet aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some sharp green apple notes, a little bit of syrupy richness, light aldehydic notes of sorrel, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a touch of dried dates.
Although the appearance was quite unappetizing and the nose didn't really promise much, this wine turned out to be surprisingly fresh, vibrant and nuanced on the palate! This is already past its peak, but not as badly as I initially feared - despite its shortcomings, this was a surprisingly nice wine on the palate after all. Nevertheless, as the wine was so tertiary and oxidative, it was pretty impossible to identify the wine correctly.
(85 points) - 2019 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Triple Zero - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (4.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc. The wine is fermented spontaneously and slowly in old oak barrels. When only approx. 12 g/l residual sugar remains, the wine is bottled - apart from a small lot that is kept as a tank reserve - and the fermentation continues in the bottles until full dryness. Aged sur lattes for at least 2 years. When the wine is disgorged, the bottle is topped off with the tank reserve. Basically the wine is a pét-nat, but vinified more like a serious sparkling wine. The "Triple Zero" refers to how the must is not chaptalized; the wine is bottled without the liqueur de tirage; and the bottles are topped off only with wine, not with liqueur d'expédition. There are three phases in which a sparkling wine producer can add sugar to the wine, but Jacky Blot chose not to. 13% alcohol, 0-1 g/l residual sugar. The wine does not bear vintage designation, but the lot number is "TZ19B", so I assume this is 2019. Tasted blind.
Pale yellow-green color. Clean, dry and somewhat neutral yet vaguely fruity nose with aromas of fresh Fuji apples, some leesy notes of yeast, light mineral nuances of wet rocks and gun metal, an autolytic hint of white bread and a floral touch of apple blossom. The wine feels clean, bone-dry and firm on the palate with a medium body and somewhat neutral flavors of mealy red apple, some incisive steely mineral notes, a little bit of leesy character, light tart citrus fruit nuances, a hint of wet rocks and a faint touch of bready autolysis. The mousse feels quite voluminous and persistent and the brisk acidity lends good sense of zip to the wine. The finish is clean, lively and quite neutral with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh apple, some crunchy white fruits, a little bit of leesy autolysis, light citrus notes of pomelo and a hint of incisive steely minerality.
A nice, clean and enjoyably palate-cleansing fizz. Typical of Chenin Blanc sparklers, the flavor profile is rather neutral and the overall feel is a bit lean, due to the high acidity, rather pronounced minerality and complete lack of dosage. However, the wine is still thoroughly enjoyable and quite accessible - at no point does the wine come across as too austere. While a nice, zippy bubbly in its own right, it still feels a bit underwhelming compared to many other premium sparkling wines or Champagnes, but when you take into account that this is actually "just" a pét-nat, you have to admit that this is a pretty darn serious effort. A nice appetizer and probably pairs well with seafood or lighter vegetarian dishes - but probably isn't going to win any blind tastings!
(88 points) - 2020 Domaine Maunoury Le Petit Alphée - France, Vin de France (4.1.2024)
A blend of biodynamically farmed Chardonnay (60%) and Cabernet Franc (40%) from vineyards near Saumur. The Cabernet Franc portion is made with crushed whole bunches, but without any skin contact. Fermented spontaneously, aged in tanks and a small part in old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a tiny dose of SO2. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe but very restrained with light, subtly sweet aromas of some white fruits, a little bit of juicy appley fruit, a hint of something plastic-y and a touch of waxy funk. The wine feels ripe, youthful and somewhat neutral on the palate with a medium body and a bit understated flavors of juicy white fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe red apple, light lifted notes of white balsamico, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of something vaguely plastic-y. The acidity feels medium-to-moderately high. The finish is ripe, juicy and a bit anonymous with a medium-long and a bit neutral aftertaste of ripe yellow apple, some herby spice, a little bit of white peach and a hint of stony minerality.
A pleasant and tasty but also quite neutral, understated and anonymous white. As the wine was so light in aromatics and taste, it was quite impossible to guess where it came from or from which varieties it had been made from. Not really a bad wine, but unfortunately shows very little anything that would make me buy a bottle for myself.
(84 points)
Posted from CellarTracker