Les Aligoteurs – March 2023

Les Aligoteurs is a (sort of) annual event held by the rapidly growing organization with the purpose of promoting aligoté and expanding its acceptance, understanding, and consumption.

This is a vivid and lively organization with plenty of members showing the will to work hard and improve. The event was great, and the Aligoteur tasting this year was most certainly the most competent and streamlined event from the group thus far.

The usual suspects

With 40+ estates, there were plenty to choose from. However, the best are the usual suspects: the ones with the great plots and the talent.

That being said, there are a fair few new talents challenging the “old” regime.

The usual suspects are: Laurent Fournier of Domaine Jean Fournier, with three top-end aligotes; Nicolas Faure is of course on the list; as is Chantereves after its recent display of form. Also, Jérôme Galeyrand is in the top league.

One that’s missing from this list is Sylvain Pataille, who seem somewhat irregular, and whose wines sometimes can be brilliant others seem weigthy, even clumsy … from time to time (I’m sorry to say).

The stronghold

Marthe Henry Boillot was not at the event due to her leg injury, but she should not be forgotten – I do love her wines. Domaine Garcia showed its best aligoté so far with the 2021, as did Pierre-Henri Rougeot, who made a brilliant, unsulphured ’21 aligoté.

Among the rising names is Andrew Nielsen from Le Grappin with some lower-alcohol aligotes from 2021 – wow! Also the 2020 aligoté from Axelle Machard de Gramont, which was better than the 2021 on this occasion.

The Bret brothers should also be mentioned at the very top; great work.

AMI Bourgogne in Maranges produces two exciting aligoté, and is certainly a name to remember. My favourite was the cuvée Les Péteurs.

Petit-Roy, by Seiichi Saito, also showed a fine aligoté in its 2019. It was rich and expressive, and quite a refined wine. This Chorey-les-Beaune estate is worth following.

New names in my book

Of the completely new names (in my book), I find Gautheron d’Anost, who showed some top-end aligotés. For me, a new potential star is born.