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2019 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
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 neutral whitish-green color. Youthful, ripe and slightly sweetish nose with aromas of waxy richness, spring flowers, some ripe red apple, a little bit of tangerine, light whitecurrant tones, a hint of juicy white peach and a candied touch of gummi bear. Although slightly primary, the nose feels very nuanced and attractive. The wine is youthful, lively and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with obviously quite ripe yet still crisp and slightly wild flavors of juicy golden apples and waxy funk, some cantaloupe, a little bit of tangy salinity, light orange-driven citrus fruit tones, a lifted hint of sweet VA and a touch of pink grapefruit. The fruit department feels slightly sweet-toned, but the racy acidity keeps the wine wonderfully structured and almost electric in feel. The finish is juicy, ripe and very crisp with bright, lengthy and very mouth-watering flavors of pink grapefruit, tangy salinity, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of sweet golden apple, light waxy tones, a hint of floral lift and a touch of fresh cantaloupe.
A wonderfully crisp, serious and delicious Aligoté that manages to combine ripeness without much sense of weight and bracing, almost electric acidity without sense of leanness or austerity. Especially when tasted chilled, the wine is textbook Aligoté with its racy acidity, yet sporting wonderfully ripe and nuanced fruit at the same time. Despite being almost primary in its very fruit-forward expression, the wine is super-drinkable and very seductive at the moment. Drinking really well right now, but most likely will improve quite a bit from here. Truly a lovely Aligoté. (93 pts.)
Quite intense and moderately concentrated yellow-green color. Very expressive and rather wild nose with rather bretty aromas of phenolic leather and smoky tones, horse stables, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of apricot, light notes of ripe banana, a hint of vanilla custard and a subtly acetic touch of VA. Tons of things happening here. The wine is lively, surprisingly concentrated and even somewhat oily on the palate with a medium body and moderately sauvage flavors of bretty leather, tropical notes of apricots and grilled pineapple, some tangy green apple, a little bit of wild waxy funk, light saline tones, a hint of vanilla custard and a woody touch of savory spice. The balanced acidity feels fresh and moderately high. The finish is ripe, firm and somewhat waxy with a quite acid-driven aftertaste of tangy salinity, some bretty leather, light tropical notes of apricots and banana, light smoky phenolic tones, a hint of horse stables and a creamy touch of panna cotta.
A surprisingly wild and funky Aligoté that is very distinctive in its expression. Unlike a classic, crisp Aligoté, this wine feels relatively round, broad and concentrated at first, but then the acidity kicks in on the backbeat, lending remarkable freshness and intensity to the wine. There’s no denying there seems to be some bretty funk here - at first the wine reminded me more of old-school Oude Lambic than white wine - but fortunately the varietally correct notes of green apple and salinity joined in with a bit of delay. The oak influence is quite noticeable, but in a classic Burgundian fashion, it does not dominate but instead only adds complexity. All in all, this wine is quite singular in style and might be a bit too much for people who prefer their whites squeaky clean. However, if one doesn’t mind if a wine shows some character, this is quite fascinating stuff. (92 pts.)
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2019 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
100% Aligoté Doré from biodynamically farmed vineyards in Marsannay. Fermented spontaneously in fiberglass and stainless steel, aged in old, neutral 500-liter demi-muids, bottled unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Pale lemon yellow color. Somewhat restrained and subtly sweet-toned nose with aromas of salty sea air, some chalk dust, a little bit of ripe whitecurrant, light appley notes, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of vague nuttiness. The wine feels tangy, refreshing and salty on the palate, feeling surprisingly round, juicy and concentrated at first, then turning surprisingly crisp, taut and saline with a small delay, losing its apparent richness in an almost instant. Flavors of almost unripe white peach, some fresh Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light notes of tangy salinity and a hint of cool, stony minerality. The overall feel is crunchy, slightly wild and rather linear. At first the acidity came across as medium-to-moderately high, but turned almost bracingly high before you knew it. The mouth-cleansing finish is quite long with bright, straightforward flavors of mealy golden apples and tart Granny Smith apple, some cantaloupe, a little bit of tangy salinity, light stony mineral tones and a hint of fresh white fruits.
A crisp and well-made Aligoté with subtly wild overtones. Shows enjoyable freshness and minerality combined with surprising sense of concentration. Nevertheless, the overall feel is somewhat linear in taste and although the crisp acidity seems to come on a backbeat, the wine is otherwise without any big surprises. The slightly wild overtones do lend some interesting nuances to the wine, but at times they lend a slightly unclean feel to the wine - especially when compared to Pataille’s 2018 single-vineyard Aligotés that were tasted at the same time - they might feel a bit weightier, but also more sense of purity. This is a nice and serious entry-level Aligoté, but even though it is made from the higher-quality Aligoté Doré clone, it really doesn’t reach the level of the best Aligoté Vert wines. Good, but that’s about it. (87 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne-Aligoté Charmes aux Prêtres - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
100% single-vineyard Aligoté Doré from a biodynamically farmed 0,3-hectare parcel in Marsannay. Fermented spontaneously in fiberglass and stainless steel, vinified without any SO2, aged for 12 months in old, neutral 500-liter demi-muids, bottled unfiltered with a minimal dose of sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale and very subtly hazy light yellow color. Ripe, slightly funky and subtly volatile nose with fine-tuned aromas of sweet red apples and juicy white peaches, some leather funk, a little bit of nuttiness, light sappy notes of chopped herbs and a sweet hint of volatile lift. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and slightly oily on the palate with a moderately full body and subtly sweet-toned flavors of tart green apples, some ripe yellow fruits, light wild notes of phenolic spice and funk, a little bit of nuttiness, a salty hint of sorrel and a touch of cool, stony minerality. The acidity feels quite high, although there seems to be a subtle streak of acetic acidity running through the wine, boosting the natural acidity of the wine a little bit while lending a hint of slightly sweet lift to the fruit. The finish is firm, refreshing and subtly wild with lengthy flavors of tart green apples and sappy herbal character, some salty notes of sorrel, a little bit of juicy white fruit, light funky phenolic notes and a subtly acetic hint of volatile lift.
A noticeably ripe, round and slightly wild single-vineyard Aligoté with quite a bit of substance. The warm vintage shows in how the wine lacks the freshness and cut of the 2019 Pataille Aligoté that was tasted alongside, but at the same time shows much more nuance and substance. While quite impressive, the overall feel is perhaps a bit too wild for my preference, which is why I preferred the cleaner 2018 Pataille Champ Forey to this wine. This is still a great Aligoté Doré, showing good sense of ripeness and concentration without noticeable sense of weight, but it is still perhaps a bit too sauvage for its own good. (89 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne-Aligoté Champ Forey - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
100% single-vineyard Aligoté Doré from a biodynamically farmed 0,3-hectare parcel in Marsannay. Fermented spontaneously in fiberglass and stainless steel, vinified without any SO2, aged for 12 months in old, neutral 500-liter demi-muids, bottled unfiltered with a minimal dose of sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.
Very slightly hazy, light yellow-green color. Big, ripe and sweet-toned nose with aromas of juicy pear, sour apple candies, some leesy notes of yeast and creaminess, light peachy tones, a hint of plantain and a distant, flatulent touch of reduction that blows off quite quickly. The wine is ripe, clean and full-bodied on the palate with intense flavors of sweet red apples, some juicy white peach, a little bit of ripe green currant, light stony mineral tones and a wild, hint of waxy funk. The acidity feels high, which isn’t high enough for a big wine like this to feel crisp or racy, but it keeps the wine fresh, structured and wonderfully in balance. The finish is dry, ripe and juicy with rather acid-driven flavors of spicy red apple, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of fresh white peach, light creamy tones, a hint of persimmon and a touch of leesy yeast.
A big, fruity and harmonious Aligoté that feels both cleaner and more impressive than either of the other two 2018 Pataille single-vineyard Aligotés we tasted (La Charme aux Prêtres and Clos du Roy). The wine takes some time to open up, but it is pretty wonderful after it does. It certainly shows the ripeness from the warm vintage, but it also carries itself with effortless grace. A great, sophisticated wine. (91 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne-Aligoté Clos du Roy - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
100% single-vineyard Aligoté Doré from a biodynamically farmed 0,2-hectare parcel in Marsannay. Very old vines, averaging 80 years. Fermented spontaneously in fiberglass and stainless steel, vinified without any SO2, aged for 12 months in old, neutral 500-liter demi-muids, bottled unfiltered with a minimal dose of sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy whitish-green color. Fragrant yet somewhat wild and quite linear nose with aromas of sappy herbal character, some sharp volatile notes, a little bit of ripe white fruits, light lifted notes of nail polish and a salty hint of ocean air. The wine feels lively, medium-bodied and subtly effervescent on the palate with somewhat wild and volatile flavors of tart green apples and tangy salinity, some herbal spice, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of unripe pear and volatile hints of nail polish and white wine vinegar. The high acidity makes the wine feel crisp and lends great focus to it. The finish is crisp, quite long and rather mouth-watering with flavors of tart Granny Smith apple, tangy salinity, some ripe white fruit, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light lemony citrus fruit tones, a hint of stony minerality and an acetic touch of vinegary VA.
A crisp and racy Aligoté that feels lighter, leaner and more acid-driven than the two other 2018 Pataille single-vineyard Aligotés we tasted (La Charme aux Prêtres and Champ Forey) but also more volatile and, thus, somewhat natty in character. The wine shows great focus and freshness with good balance, but it doesn’t seem to show the same kind of depth as the other two wines - although this might be only because this wine is still so young and it will take some time before it starts to show its best. However, the somewhat acetic notes of VA take their toll and while the wine might gain complexity with age, it won’t lose its volatile character - thus I don’t see myself scoring this wine as high as the other two wines. This isn’t a bad wine in any way, but I’d be wary with this particular bottling in this vintage - the other two single-vineyard bottlings seemed to offer better value for the money. (86 pts.)
Pale yellow color. Dry, somewhat developed and slightly woolly nose with aromas of lanolin, some ripe white fruits, light Golden Delicious apple tones and a hint of chalk dust. The wine is ripe yet dry, somewhat evolved and medium-bodied on the palate with flavors of ripe golden apples, some woolly lanolin, a little bit of chalky minerality, light notes of fresh white peach, a hint of herbal spice and a crunchy touch of slightly bitter quince. The acidity feels rather high, but the overall feel is still rather soft and mellow, most likely due to the warmer vintage. The finish is dry, medium in length and somewhat dull with flavors of damp wool, some umami notes of cooked kelp, a little bit of mealy golden apple, light fresh notes of white peach and a hint of chalk dust.
Although quite balanced, the overall feel is surprisingly round and mellow for an Aligoté - a variety known for its freshness and often even piercing acidity. Furthermore, the wine is starting to show some Chenin-like woolly character as it has aged, but I’m not sure if age has really benefited the wine - it feels more like somewhat dull and lacking freshness due to the woolly character. I can imagine this might’ve been more impressive in its youth, but now it really doesn’t offer much. One of the least impressive wines in our Aligoté tasting. (83 pts.)
Neutral, almost colorless appearance with a subtly greenish hue. Open and expressive nose that feels rather oak-heavy upon opening; aromas of sweet oak spice and cooked cream, some buttery notes of diacetyl, a little bit of spicy red apple, light nectarine tones, a hint of stony minerality and a tropical touch of pineapple. The first sniffs reminded me more of an Australian Chardonnay rather than a Bourgogne Aligoté. However, with air the woody tones take a step back, letting the fruit take the lead. The wine feels ripe, rather concentrated and moderately full-bodied on the palate. There’s a noticeable - yet not dominant - streak of oak in the taste, surrounded by notes of creamy richness, some sweet golden apples, a little bit of stony minerality, light nectarine tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of exotic spices - the latter most likely coming from toasted wood. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine firm and balanced, although the overall style is so ripe and concentrated that a slightly higher acidity couldn’t really hurt; the mouthfeel is quite broad and round, although fortunately never coming across as particularly soft. The dry finish is long and moderately acid-driven with flavors of red apple, cooked cream, some clarified butter, a little bit of savory wood spice, light mineral notes of tangy salinity and a hint of fresh pineapple.
A surprisingly rich and even somewhat oak-driven effort for an Aligoté, even though this isn’t an overdone oak bomb by any means. However, the wine does remind me more of a well-made Australian Chardonnay than an Aligoté - and this is not really a negative thing, just an impression I get. Perhaps the wine is just way too young at the moment and needs a good handful of years in a cellar before really coming together. Shows good potential and sense of finesse, but at the moment the wine is still a bit all over the place. Probably will perform better after another 5 years or so. (90 pts.)
Pale and very slightly hazy yellow-green color. Ripe, sweet-toned and wonderfully juicy nose with aromas of peach, some sweet red apples, a little bit of honeyed richness, light leesy notes of creaminess and a hint of wool. The wine is moderately full-bodied and dry and firm on the palate with bright, subtly evolved flavors of ripe red apples, some sweet peachy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light notes of gooseberries, a creamy hint of leesy character and a touch of wool. The overall feel is balanced and refreshing with its rather high acidity. The finish is bright, clean and persistent with crystalline flavors of fresh apples, stony minerality - even some mineral water nuances, some leesy tones, a hint of ripe pink grapefruit and a touch of gooseberry.
A very harmonious and balanced Aligoté that combines effortlessly refreshing qualities and bright structure with ripe, sweet-toned fruit. Terrific sense of brightness and purity here. There are also some subtly evolved undertones, but the overall impression is still quite youthful and linear, promising a lot in regard to the aging potential. Most likely will hit its peak around 8-10 years after vintage. A wonderful textbook example of a solar vintage Aligoté. (91 pts.)
Rather neutral, light yellow color. Open, attractive and subtly sweetish nose with aromas of apricots, honeysuckle, some creamy notes of oak, a little bit of spicy red apple, a hint of greengage and a touch of peach candies. The wine feels crisp, light-bodied and quite acid-driven on the palate, but not without obvious sense of ripeness. Flavors of juicy red apples, some white peach, a little bit of creamy oak, light steely mineral tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of savory wood spice. There might be a subtle undertone of something subtly wild beneath the more obvious flavors, adding its own layer of complexity. The racy acidity lends great sense of freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, fine-tuned and very mouth-cleansing with bright, mouthwatering flavors of stony minerality, tart green apples, some savory oak spice, a little bit of greengage, light creamy tones and a hint of wool.
A beautiful, very classic and wonderfully harmonious Aligoté where the emphasis is on the lively, fresh and acid-driven fruit. However, the wine definitely shows good sense of ripeness and the very judicious - almost understated - use of oak lends lovely sense of breadth and complexity to the wine without overwhelming any of the fruit flavors. Drinking really well right now but will continue to improve for many more years. An archetypal Bourgogne-Aligoté, highly recommended. (93 pts.)
Pale, remarkably neutral, almost watery light yellow color - remarkably youthful apperance for the age. Quite reductive, dull and somewhat unpleasant nose of rubbery swimming pool toy, some mineral water, a little bit of developed waxy character, light crunchy notes of white currant, hints of parsnip and canned corn and a skunky touch of sulphur. Overall the nose reminds me of sponti Mosel Rieslings suffering from Böckser, but with a somewhat Burgundian twist. It smells like the wine has had a touch of reduction in its youth, but it has all gone south, developing mercaptans instead of blowing the reduction slowly off. The wine is taut, light-bodied and somewhat metallic on the palate with flavors of apple peel bitterness, some rubbery reduction, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple, light stony mineral tones, a hint of lemon juice and a touch of wool. The acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine, but the fruit department feels remarkably understated. The finish is long, crisp and rather dull with understated, medium-long flavors of tart green apples, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of rubbery reduction, light tangy notes of salinity, a hint of bitter almond oil and a toasty touch of marzipan.
A remarkably youthful and lean Aligoté that suffers badly from reduction. It’s astounding how the wine is over 10 years old when many other Aligotés half the age in our tasting seemed much younger in comparison. However, the developed, toasty notes in the aftertaste confirmed that the wine isn’t young anymore. But what’s badly wrong here is the reduction: this wine doesn’t show that lovely, smoky matchstick reduction that some wonderful Burgundy whites can show. The wine is dull, skunky and quite unpleasant, showing smelly mercaptans instead of fruit. I wonder if the wine could get better together with 24 hour-decant or if this is just permanently this dull and skunky - at least the wine didn’t manage to get any better with +2 hours in the glass. I also wonder whether aging the wine further could help in mitigating the reductive notes or if the wine is only going to get worse with age. Nevertheless, this was a big disappointment. (76 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand Aligoté Le Clou 34 - France, Vin de France (16.3.2021)
100% Aligoté mainly from a 1-hectare parcel planted in 1934, supplemented with younger vines - all minimum 45 years old; average vine age is 70 years. Slow pressing of whole bunches, resulting in a little bit of skin contact. Vinified without sulfites, fermented with indigenous yeasts, bottled unfiltered with a minimal dose of SO2 (35 mg/l) on 10th of December 2019. Total production 5800 bottles, 120 magnums, 32 jeroboams and 10 methusalems. 11,9% alcohol, less than 0,3 g/l residual sugar, 5,0 g/l acidity and 0,39 g/l VA. Labeled “Vin de France”, although is eligible for Bourgogne-Aligoté appellation.
Pale lemon yellow color with a slightly hint of haze. Big, ripe and characterful nose with aromas of ripe golden apples, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of sweet yellow fruit and juicy pear, light notes of beeswax, a floral hint of rose petals and a skunky touch of gunpowdery reduction. The reductive note intermingles wonderfully with the fruitier notes, making the nose feel very complex and quite seductive. The wine feels surprisingly broad and quite full-bodied on the palate - at least for an Aligoté - yet the moderately high acidity keeps the wine fresh and very nicely in balance. Vibrant flavors of juicy white peach and ripe golden apple, some beeswaxy tones, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light sweet notes of lemon marmalade, a hint of plantain and a touch of leesy creaminess - even a hint of yeast. The finish is ripe, rich and quite long with juicy and slightly sweet-toned flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and peach, some leesy tones, a little bit of beeswax, light juicy notes of ripe citrus fruits and a hint of plantain.
A very serious, fascinating and convincing Aligoté with a distinctive, singular character: it doesn’t feel like a bright, crisp and playful Aligoté, nor is it similar to the Burgundy Chardonnay. This is a substantial and complex wine that carries the typical Aligoté qualities, but shows much more depth, complexity and sense of weight compared to your run-of-the-mill Aligoté. Consistently one of the greatest Aligotés I know, showcasing how this overlooked variety can make wonderful wines in right hands. Highly recommended. (94 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Chanterêves Bourgogne-Aligoté Les Chagniots - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
A single-vineyard Aligoté from a 0,17-hectare parcel. Fermented with indigenous yeasts using a pied de cuve. Aged for 12 months in mostly used oak barrels ranging from 228 to 600 liters in size. Bottled with a minimal addition of SO2. 13% alcohol.
Lemon-yellow color. Expressive, somewhat sweet-toned and rather creamy nose with aromas of fresh apple and greengage, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of leesy yeast and a hint of toasty oak spice. The wine feels lively, firm and quite acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and slightly oak-forward flavors of fresh red apples. greengage and pomelo, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light notes of tangy salinity, a hint of sappy herbal spice and a touch of melted butter. The bright, almost bracing acidity lends great sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is dry, complex and quite lengthy with persistent, mouthwatering flavors of tart green apples and tangy salinity, some savory wood spice, a little bit of sweeter toasty oak, light creamy notes of panna cotta and a hint of lemony citrus fruit.
At first the wine seemed rather oaky, but it turned out to be remarkably bright, fresh and harmonious on the palate. With some air the woodier tones take a step back and the wine seems to come together much better. Not the most classic Aligoté in the sense that this could actually pass for a serious, well-made 1er Cru Burgundy. Perhaps a bit all over the place at the moment, yet nevertheless manages to deliver quite a bit of pleasure already. I can imagine this will turn out quite fantastic with age, given that the oaky tones integrate better with the fruit over the years. Although the wine does exhibit quite a bit of ripeness, which is to be expected from this solar year, the acidity is simply outstanding here. An outstanding example of premium Aligoté - expect the score to go up with age. Highly recommended. (92 pts.)
Rather neutral whitish-tellow color. Somewhat restrained and slightly reductive nose with understated aromas of rubbery swimming pool toy, crushed oyster shells, a little bit of apple peel and a flatulent hint of skunky reduction. The wine is crisp and racy on the palate with a rather light body and intense yet somewhat concentrated flavors of lemony citrus fruits and ripe white fruits, some leesy creamy notes, a little bit of rubbery reduction, light toasty notes of brioche and a hint of chopped almonds. Quite structured and electric overall feel, thanks to the racy acidity. The finish is crisp, lively and quite saline with medium-long flavors of tart green apples, some creamy leesy notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light chalky mineral tones and a skunky hint of reduction.
An Aligoté that is pretty much what one might expect from an Aligoté: a crisp, racy and lemony wines. Made in a very linear and acid-driven no-nonsense style with no thrills and frills. This is a very transparent, stripped-down Aligoté with just racy, lemony fruit and quite a bit of reduction - up to the point that the wine starts to suffer from it, seeing how the wine feels still rather closed and subtly skunky even after two hours in the glass. There’s definitely some charm to the purity and linearity of this wine, but in our Aligoté tasting, this was one of the leanest and one-dimensional wines, tasting just like, well, Aligoté. If you buy an Aligoté just to get a simple, crisp and light everyday wine, this is just perfect for that specific purpose. However, if you are looking for an Aligoté that attempts to break the mold of a simple, linear and lemony little white, go look elsewhere. This also applies for people looking for something for immediate consumption - based on the reduction here, the wine feels like it is going to need another 7-10 years before it starts to open up. For current consumption the wine needs a lot of air to clear out the skunkier reductive tones. (85 pts.)
Very pale, neutral whitish-green color. Cool, restrained and slightly reductive nose with light aromas of greengage, gunpowder smoke, some Granny Smith apple, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, a hint of fresh pear and a floral touch of apple blossom. The wine is lively, youthful and medium-bodied on the palate with some sense of concentration. Rather linear overall impression with fresh flavors of greengage and tart Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of leesy character and a rubbery hint of reduction. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance, but doesn’t really make the wine feel crisp or racy. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately long with flavors of ripe green apple, some greengage, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess and a lactic hint of MLF.
A balanced and tasty but ultimately slightly ho-hum for an Aligoté. Seems to lack the depth and precision that are The Thing in Ramonet’s white Burgundies. This is a solid and reliable Aligoté that is pretty much what one might expect from the variety, but nothing beyond that. A good effort, but nothing memorable. (88 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Fiona Leroy Bourgogne-Aligoté La Motte sur Chat - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (16.3.2021)
The first vintage ever of this wine - Fiona Leroy started her winery in December 2017 - from a biodynamically farmed parcel planted in 1990. Fermented spontaneously in oak barrels, aged in used oak pièces. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale straw yellow. A captivating, very characterful and slightly wild nose with fragrant aromas of ripe quince and elderflower, perhaps slightly bretty phenolic tones, a little bit of sweet creaminess, light apricot tones, a hint of stony minerality and a perfumed herbal nuance of tarragon. I’m seduced already by the first sniff. The wine is lively, slightly wild and perhaps a bit funky on the palate with a firm, medium body and vibrant flavors of tangy green apples, crunchy quince, some funky notes of leather, light sappy herbal notes of tarragon and thyme, a little bit of stony minerality, a sweet, floral hint of elderflower, a touch of creamy oak and a subtly understated nuance of volatile lift. The rather high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully balanced and quite structured, although the wine might lack the cut and crispiness of a classic Aligoté. The finish feels slightly funkier and more wild than the midpalate with more presence on the bretty notes of leather, phenolic spice and even some Band-Aid, followed by long, layered flavors of earth, tart green apple, some crunchy quince, light sweet notes of honeyed richness, a little bit of fresh greencurrant, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of saline tang.
A beautifully characterful, distinctive and very complex Aligoté that is bound to be divisive: I can imagine many people thinking this is just too weird or funky, while other people will consider the wine unique and fascinating. I’m firmly in the latter camp. I wouldn’t be surprised if the wine went south if it was kept open for much longer, but straight from the bottle this was just pure gold. Showing such depth and complexity many producer will never coax out of Aligoté. This tasty, broad and slightly (pleasantly) funky effort took me by surprise - I need to keep an eye on this producer. Thrilling stuff. (92 pts.)
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2019 Frederic Cossard Vin de France Version Sud - France, Vin de France (16.3.2021)
A non-interventionist Grenache made with purchased fruit from Corbières. The label did not say anything about the vintage (just lot number “L.VS”), but I was told this was 2019 vintage, so let’s go with that. 14,5% alcohol.
Pale, fully translucent and slightly hazy pinkish-raspberry red color. Sweet, fragrant and almost perfumed nose with juicy raspberries, some pomegranate, light lifted floral notes of brett, little bit of ethery VA, a hint of ripe nectarine and a funky touch of wet dog. The wine is dry, quite acid-driven and very subtly effervescent on the palate with a quite light body and funky flavors of brambly raspberries, some apple, a little bit of bretty leather, light sweet notes of medicinal ether and an acetic touch of vinegary VA. The overall feel is quite firm and lively, thanks to the high acidity and gentle tannins. The finish is short and quite acid-driven with light flavors of fresh apple, followed by a huge tsunami of mousiness that overwhelms all the flavors in an instant and renders the aftertaste utterly repulsive.
A fresh, generic and quite natty little wine that would be rather simple and uninteresting if it weren’t for the horrible mousiness that makes the wine a catastrophe. I’d say that without any mousiness I would score the wine in the mid-to-high 70’s, but as soon as the mousiness struck, the rating dropped by a dozen or so points. Not recommended. (59 pts.)
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(Go and read the TNs to know why)
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), it was quite complex, nutty, salinity, nice length.