Bourgogne Aligoté

The Bourgogne Aligoté Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a regional appellation in Burgundy, reserved for white wines made from the Aligoté grape variety and produced throughout Burgundy. It is found in Saône-et-Loire, Côte-d’Or, and Yonne, reflecting the diversity of these terroirs. This grape variety has been part of the Bourgogne appellation since 1937, except in Bouzeron, in the Côte Chalonnaise, where it bears the municipal appellation Bouzeron.

Aligoté (6% of Burgundy’s vineyard area) is a very old grape variety native to Burgundy. This fairly vigorous white grape variety produces larger and more numerous grapes than Chardonnay. The terroirs producing Bourgogne Aligoté are varied due to the diversity of the wine-growing regions; vineyards planted with this variety generally rest on a limestone base, often mixed with marl and clay. Bourgogne Aligoté is often a hillside wine. It benefits from a bit of elevation.

Bourgogne Aligoté is a fresh, crisp white wine. Its bouquet is floral (acacia, hawthorn) or fruity (apple). On the palate, this smooth, supple wine awakens the taste buds with notes of hazelnut that emerge on the finish. Fans of Bourgogne Aligoté will appreciate the quality of the wines offered by the Auvenay and Olivier Morin estates, as well as Domaine René Bouvier.