Bourgogne Aligoté is an appellation title for still white wines produced in the Burgundy wine region and made exclusively from the Aligoté grape variety. The title was established in July 1937 and was, until recently, generally seen as an uninspiring category (often viewed in the shadow of Burgundy's flagship grape, Chardonnay). In recent years, through the efforts of many well-regarded winegrowers, the title is in vogue.
History
The Aligoté grape, which has been recognized and widely used in Burgundy since the 17th Century, has steadily given way to the more internationally popular Chardonnay which is predominantly responsible for Bourgogne Blanc wines.
Aligoté plantings represent less than six percent of Burgundy's total vineyard. Nevertheless the appellation still covers around 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of vines, spread among nearly 300 communes from the Yonne to the Mâconnais, and the grape also features in the blend of many Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wines.
Production
Bourgogne Aligoté wines are generally made in stainless steel and are crisp and fresh in style, and it is this relatively high acidity which has hitherto been the grape's downfall. Many consumers find the wines too aggressively tart (even though they almost always undergo complete malolactic fermentation) and prefer the richer profile of Chardonnay, often with its attendant oak influence from barrel aging/élevage.
This crispness has created one niche for Aligoté wines, however: as the base for Kir cocktails, in which the wine is sweetened with Cassis liqueur.
In more recent years, though, through a combination of winegrower interest and critical reception beyond traditional (and often prohibitively expensive) Burgundy wines, Aligoté wines are in vogue, particularly among minimal intervention producers and wine writers operating in that area.
Origin : Burgundy, France
Type: White Wine
Grapes : Aligote
Alcohol : 12.5%
Bottle Size:750ml