Bourgogne's Grape Revolution: The Renaissance of Aligote

Though sharing genetic material with Chardonnay, being offspring from the same parents, Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, Aligoté has not always enjoyed the same recognition as Chardonnay. Its lineage was already well-recognised as early as the 17th Century. A few synonyms exist including “Plant de Trois” used in Gevrey and Châtillon, with reference to its three bunches per cane. Before phylloxera, Aligoté was considered an equal to Chardonnay, and was found planted in Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet. Though naturally vigorous as a variety, it gradually lost ground to the easier-to-cultivate Chardonnay that was producing more pleasing and accessible wine. In fact, its hardy ability to withstand the cold and tough environments had it relegated to being planted on less favourable locations, leaving the better vineyard sites in favour of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir after the ravages of phylloxera in Bourgogne. Even though there now still exist parcels of Aligoté in Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Pernand-Vergelesses amongst other villages, its plantings dwindled substantially, making it the second white grape variety of Bourgogne. Difficult to grow well in less favourable locations, Aligoté gained the notoriety of making tart neutral wines. At the end of the Second World War, the mayor of Dijon, Canon Félix Kir, made an effort to promote Aligoté by using the wine as the base of the eponymous cocktail, blended with a dash of Crème de Cassis to make it more palatable. He could not have anticipated that it would take three quarters of a century for Aligoté to make its comeback as a serious grape variety.

 

Perfect cheese pairing with Aligote wines from Bourgogne: Dome de Vezelay and Comte

With an area under vines of 1,800 ha, Bourgogne represents around 5% of the world’s total plantings of this variety. Elsewhere in France, only another 200 ha exist. According to “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson et al, the majority of the world’s plantings are found in Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and parts of Russia), with about 34,000 ha. Here the vines tend to be high yielding, thus producing wine of lesser quality. Some minor plantings can be found in Switzerland, California, Washington, Canada and Australia. To make high quality wine from Aligoté, it is important to control its yield.

Therefore, the recent renaissance of Aligoté in Bourgogne is a very welcomed development. Through the efforts of a group of dedicated growers, Aligoté is gaining traction with a new generation of Bourgogne lovers seeking wines of personality, vigour and a unique mineral expression.

 

An eager audience learning about this enigmatic variety

To celebrate the refreshed focus on Aligoté, the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) kicked off the 2019 programme of live training with a special look at this long under-appreciated and misunderstood variety.

Apart from its role as a blending grape in Crémant de Bourgogne and Coteaux Bourguignons, Aligoté has its special place as the only permitted grape variety at two appellation levels in the Bourgogne hierarchy. The regional appellation of Bourgogne Aligoté was created in 1947, after a succession of laws recognising the place that this grape held in Bourgogne, a grape variety that faithfully translates the terroirs in which it is grown. Growers in the village of Bouzeron in Côte Chalonnaise understood that the terroirs in their village enabled Aligoté to be interpreted in a very unique manner and led by Aubert de Villaine, lobbied hard for this recognition by INAO. In 1979, the village name of Bouzeron was permitted to appear alongside the Bourgogne Aligoté appellation. Eventually, Bouzeron was formally awarded a village appellation in 1997 for wines made uniquely with Aligoté. At the height of its expression, Aligoté is the key varietal for a premier cru vineyard, Clos des Monts Luisants, in Morey-Saint-Denis, Côte de Nuits.

An expert from each of these three expressions of Aligoté was invited to speak about their experience with Aligoté in this edition of BIVB live training.

Sylvain Pataille explained how he started with just Gamay and Aligoté vines in 1999. He did not wish to make fruity wines, rather he wanted to make wines that spoke of terroir. He regarded Aligoté as a serious variety, that could be grown in limestone, marl or granite, in different regions. Besides the Bourgogne-Aligoté, Pataille makes 4 different cuvées of Aligoté from single vineyards. They are: the pure and saline Champ Forey, the powerful and precise Clos du Roy, the balanced and textural Auvonnes du Pépé and La Charme aux Prêtres, the ultimate expression with an intensity, complexity and minerality that is not like the others. Pataille believes in the ageing ability of Aligoté wines, and how it can develop into complex vines with 30-40 years of cellaring. When asked to compare Aligoté to an animal, he suggested “alligator”, not only for the phonetic similarity but also for the survival instincts in both grape and animal!

Pierre de Benoist of Domaine de Villaine, also admired the “wild” and “untameable” character of Aligoté by likening it to the wild horse from the Camargue, with unrestrained freedom to gallop in the wild. Bouzeron became the only village in Bourgogne to honour this variety by making it the lynchpin of its village appellation. Aligoté in Bouzeron does not taste like any other Aligoté because of the microclimates and slopes of this village and the special clone Aligoté doré.

Aligoté doré is a mutation of the Aligoté grape and has thinner skin than the original variety to allow better ripening and better balance between alcohol and acidity. Only wines made from Aligoté can be bottled as village appellation wine. When Pierre de Benoist became President of the village appellation 12 years ago, he encouraged the other growers to work with him to create a nursery to preserve the genetic material of Aligoté doré. The work based on massale sélection has allowed them to identify 11 selections of Aligoté doré that adapt best to the terroirs of Bouzeron for future plantings.

Map of Bouzeron (www.bourgogne-wines.com)

The village of Bouzeron is nestled in a dry valley, flanked on both sides by Montagne de La Folie on the east, and Montagne de L’Ermitage on the west. Vineyards adorn both hillsides of Oxfordian marl, at heights between 250 and 350 metres, thus benefiting from different exposures and the abundance of poor soils to limit the yield. To appreciate the differences, one has to taste the wines from the climats. Jean-Pierre Renard, the Official Educator of L’Ecole des Vins of BIVB, explained that climats such as La Tournelle, Les Pertuzots and Les Corcelles have a north-west exposure and vines take longer to ripen, translating into sinewy wines of greater freshness and distinct herbal complexity. On the opposite side, the climats of La Fortune, Les Clous and La Digoine for example benefit from a southeastern exposure and the morning sun, and tend to show more generosity and fuller body. Not only are the exposures different, the soil compositions vary as well. For example, Les Clous is more stoney, with more limestone, whereas Les Corcelles is more marl. While Aligoté enjoys prime hillside locations, the lower slopes are planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, contrary to other villages, and wine made from these two varieties could only be bottled as Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise.


Finally, Rose-Marie Ponsot of Domaine Ponsot spoke about these special vines planted by “Uncle William” in the east-facing monopole climat of Clos des Monts Luisants, as far back as 1911. From the 2005 vintage, this premier cru has been made 100% with Aligoté grapes from vine stocks dating to 1911, despite Chardonnay and Pinot Gouges being included in this vineyard at earlier times. With cellaring, Aligoté takes on layers of complexity, almost like curry spice with iodic character, not unlike an aged Vin Jaune. Rose-Marie Ponsot shared her experience of tasting the domaine’s 1985 bottling of Clos des Monts Luisants and how it was extraordinary.



This BIVB live training finished with a tasting of 6 different expressions of Aligoté:

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2017, Domaine Catherine et Claude MARECHAL

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2016, Caves BAILLY-LAPIERRE

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2016, Domaine Manuel OLIVIER

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2015, Domaine Pierre-Louis et Jean-François BERSAN

Bouzeron, 2015, Maison Louis JADOT

Bouzeron Les Corcelles, 2016, Domaine Les Champs de Thémis

The characteristic floral, herbal and citrus scented notes were present in all six wines, with some showing more of the flinty mineral note than others. Cellar-ageing helped develop a slightly honeyed note. The two Bouzeron wines showed a rounded mouthfeel, balanced by vivacious freshness, but could both be described as youthful with much development potential. The Bouzeron Les Corcelles by Xavier Moissenet and the Domaine Bersan’s Bourgogne Aligoté received the most votes from the participants in Hong Kong, but not exclusively, with Domaine Marechal’s Bourgogne Aligoté finishing a close third.


To compensate for not being able to participate in the Q&A with Jean-Pierre (HK missed the original live session as it took place during the Chinese New Year holidays), I decided to prepare a little something extra and special to share with my guest participants. As if inspired by Rose-Marie’s comment, I brought to this tasting a bottle of 2001 Bourgogne Aligoté from the home collection to pair with a piece of Comté 18 months. The pairing was exceptional, as a beautiful Vin Jaune with some maturity would have delivered a similar effect with the nutty savoury cheese still with a fruity edge! The younger Bourgogne Aligoté was perfect with the demi-affiné Dôme de Vezelay. 

I wish to thank Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong for letting me host this session in their lovely tasting room.

Comte 18 months

Meursault in a Class Above

1 February 2018:

Continuing with the live-streamed masterclass series on Bourgogne wines simultaneously broadcast to multiple global markets by the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB), Hong Kong kicked off 2018 with a well-attended session on Meursault and its climats on 31 January. [#BIVBRDV]

Meursault wines are well loved by consumers and trade professionals around the world. This masterclass hosted by the Bourgogne Wine Board further explores the nuances in topography and geology of the Meursault vineyards to explain the diversity of the wines of Meursault, finishing with a tasting of 6 Meursault climats.

In 1098, the Duke of Bourgogne donated land in Meursault to the Abbey of Citeaux, signifying the importance of this vineyard. Using wine as a political tool, the Duchy of Bourgogne significantly raised the profile of Bourgogne wines across Europe and with it, the reputation of the white wines of Meursault. By the mid 18th Century, Meursault’s reputation was widely spread across France. In an official account in 1788, Les Charmes, Les Perrières, Les Genevrières and Les Gouttes d’Or were already named as best sites for Meursault wine. Meursault’s fame and importance had attracted many aristocratic families to establish stately homes, complete with barns and cellars, in the village of Meursault, located just 8 km south of Beaune, on the Côte de Beaune. In 1923, at the initiative of Jules Lafon, the first Paulée de Meursault took place, in an effort to promote local wines on a national scale. From a modest attendance of 35 guests at the inaugural Paulée, this significant and convivial finale event of Les Trois Glorieuses which marks the end of the auction of wines at the Hospices de Beaune in November, has received strong media attention. In 2017, this event was attended by 742 guests from Bourgogne and beyond.

The Meursault AOC was created in 1937. As the list of premier cru climats was drawn up in 1943, during the Second World War, in an effort to protect national assets, many of Meursault’s top vineyards joined this prestigious ranking. Meursault covers a vineyard area of 397 hectares, dominated by white wine production. The area under production for white wine is 385 ha (including 105 ha for Premier Cru), leaving just 12 ha for red wine production (including 2 ha of Premier Cru). The diversity and quality of Meursault wines is expressed not just by its 19 distinct premier cru climats but also by a long list of lieux-dits.

 

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

One may wonder with so much historic interest and indisputable reputation and quality, why there are no Grand Cru climats in Meursault. According to Stéphane Follin-Arbelet, CEO of Château de Meursault, the answer is a simple one: tax reasons. In order to avoid higher taxes for its wines at the beginning of the 20th Century, along with its neighbours Volnay and Pommard, Meursault decided not to promote any wines to the Grand Cru status. Today, the top Premier Cru climats of Meursault command prices in the market as competitive as those for the Grand Cru wines in neighbouring villages.

To explain the diversity of styles, Jean-Pierre Renard, Official Educator of L’Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, took us through the geology and topography of the vineyards. As a result of tectonic movements and geological events, the Meursault vineyard is not one gentle slope, but one built on irregular steps, separated by plantings of bushes and trees. At the bottom step/level, there is a thin layer of marl with compact limestone that has been carved from the quarries. The next distinct level shows a limestone layer called Pearly slab. Near the top, the marl soil is more recent, dating from the Upper Jurassic period, stopped by compact limestone at the summit.

In terms of vineyard area, Meursault can be divided in general into 3 different parts. The first part is at the north side of the village, to the left bank of the Ruisseau des Cloux which runs down from Auxey Duresses, extending to the villages of Monthélie and Volnay. Here the vineyards enjoy a gentle slope, with perfect SE exposure. Vineyards near the Ruisseau des Cloux enjoy the cool air that comes with the flowing water. You find the Premier Cru climats of Les Cras and Les Caillerets at the north end, together with the peculiarity of sharing vineyards with Volnay. Where Pinot Noir is grown, the wine is called Volnay-Santenots Premier Cru and where Chardonnay is grown, the wine is called Meursault-Santenots Premier Cru. The second part is located NW of the village, from 220 metres to nearly 380 metres. Here we have mostly village level wines. With the influence of the cool air from the valley of Auxey Duresses, vine maturation is slowed at higher vineyard sites such as Les Luchets, Les Meix Chavaux and Les Vireuils, and their wines have a signature freshness. The third part of the Meursault vineyard is located at the south of the village. Here, the landscape is marked by a number of geological faults, thus leading to much diversity in soil structure. At the lower slopes, the soil is deeper, covered with pebbles and scree. The soil structure becomes more marl-based higher up, followed by more compact limestone, such as in Les Perrières, or the upper parts of Les Genevrières and Les Bouchères, at higher altitudes. Another peculiarity, similar to that with Volnay, here Meursault shares vineyards with neighbouring Blagny. Where Pinot Noir is grown, the wine is Blagny or Blagny Premier Cru, and where Chardonnay is grown, it can be Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru or Meursault Premier Cru, with the name of the climat, such as La Pièce sous le Bois and Sous le Dos d’Ane.

The wine styles of Meursault have evolved over the years. They used to be described as ample, rounded, fleshy and oaky. With better understanding of the soils and subsoils, microclimatic conditions, and vinification improvements, Meursault wines are now much better expressions of their diverse terroirs. Marion Javillier of Domaine Patrick Javillier said that winemaking used to involve a lot of bâtonnage, extended élevage and heavier use of oak, and winemakers used to make one cuvée by blending in different climats. Today, the wines of Meursault are much more refined and elegant - each wine is a distinct expression of the individual climat. Some are more rounded and rich while others are more mineral.

When asked how to differentiate Meursault from its illustrious neighbours of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, Renard said that Chassagne would be recognised for having more structure and body while Puligny would be recognised for its elegance, finesse and delicate structure. Meursault would be in between these two, showing an elegant structure backed by distinct minerality.

A wine of such reputation can sometimes be accompanied by a deterring price. To this, Renard recommended the wines from the appellation of Saint Aubin as a “rapport prix-qualité” option for those on a more modest budget.

To experience this diversity of styles, we tasted 6 wines selected by BIVB:

Six different expressions of Meursault

Meursault Les Pierres, 2015, Domaine Jean Chartron

“Les Pierres” is a cuvée created with vines from Les Tillets and Les Gorges de Narvaux. The higher altitude lends a certain steely tension and freshness to the wine. It displays a mineral character, overlaid with nutty and floral nuances. The use of oak (30% new oak) is well-integrated and subtly discernible. This wine could benefit from some aging to soften out the youthful edginess.

Meursault Les Tillets, 2015, Domaine Patrick Javillier

The word “Tillets” is derived from the tree “tilleul” or lime blossom. The stony vineyard of Les Tillets is higher up, between 320 and 380 metres in altitude. The nose of this wine is textbook Meursault, with floral and nutty notes, hinted with oak spice. The palate is rounded, balanced, with well-defined freshness. Refined, elegant, and a clean lingering finish. New oak use is 30%, with 11 months élevage in oak plus 4 months in stainless steel vats. Already a great expression of Les Tillets, it will benefit from another year of cellaring before tasting.

Meursault Les Charrons, 2015, Maison Vincent Girardin

The word “Charrons” is derived from the word “charrettes”, recalling the time when this area was grown with trees for making carts. This is more powerful and fleshy in style, with softer acidity. Almond, floral and hint of beeswax notes, with a distinct chalky minerality. 15% new oak is used. Ageing for 14 months, with the last month in stainless steel vats.

Meursault Premier Cru, Poruzots, 2015, Domaine Philippe Bouzereau, Château de Citeaux

The word “Poruzots” is derived from the word “porroux” referring to areas with rocky soils. This wine seems more austere at this stage, broad-shouldered, with a very tight structure, and not very expressive at this stage. This will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring time.

The question of drinking windows prompted Renard to recall the experience of tasting a still vivid Meursault from the 1846 vintage (we guess it was a recent-ish experience!). However, for the wines made today in a more approachable and expressive style, his recommended drinking window for Meursault Village is about 4 – 5 years and for Premier Cru, 5 – 10 years, depending on the climat.

Meursault Premier Cru, Blagny, 2015, Domaine Faiveley

This is at once a more approachable style than the previous example. Creamy texture belies a still tight but elegant structure. Citrus, floral and spicy notes. Richness, elegance and finesse all wrapped into one here. Although the 50% new oak is discernible, it seems well-integrated into the structure of the wine, enriching the wine aromatically and giving the wine a mellow creamy texture. A very sophisticated Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru.

Meursault Premier Cru, Genevrières, 2014, Domaine Latour-Giraud

This domaine is the largest holder of the climat Les Genevrières in Meursault, with 2.5 ha out of a total of 16 ha for the entire climat). The vines are over 40 years old. The word “Genevrières” is derived from the reference to juniper bushes, with prickly needles and purple berries that grow well on limestone soil. There is a vibrant freshness, that is characteristic of the vintage, balanced by the richness and intensity from the climat, complete with a linear structure. An elegant wine with purity and intensity that will enhance its cellaring development over the next 2-3 years.

Consistent high quality and diversity make Meursault wines, at all levels, a compelling choice for your cellar. Follin-Arbelet concurred, “Meursault is [definitely] a wine to have in your cellar!” Out of his domaine’s portfolio, his two favourite climats were Charmes-Dessus and Les Perrières. The power and richness in Charmes-Dessus reminds him of a panda, strong yet comfortable [cuddly?] while the sinewy and mineral Les Perrières reminds him of a wild horse. As for Javillier, she would choose the rounder and richer Clos du Cromin as the perfect accompaniment for chicken and meat dishes, whereas the minerality and elegance of Les Tillets would be perfect for shellfish and Asian food.

Happy hunting for your favourite Meursault climats!

 

Acknowledgement:
As the host of this masterclass and a Bourgogne Wines Ambassador, I would like to thank Berry Bros & Rudd for the use of their tasting room venue for this masterclass and their staff for being so helpful.