Bourgogne Aligoté AOP
With blackcurrant liqueur, it is one of the classic aperitifs. But Burgundy-Aigoté is not just a kir to be shared with friends. In fact, this AOC white wine has become trendy again in recent years thanks to the work of winegrowers who, with talent, marry their terroir to perfection with the native Burgundy grape variety, aligoté. Convivial, greedy, but also original and surprising, the Bourgogne-Aligoté AOC is an energetic wine with a real personality, in addition to being accessible in price as in taste.
General presentation of the appellation bourgogne-aligoté
The AOC Bourgogne-Aligoté is one of the 6 regional AOCs of Burgundy. Among them, it is the only one to bear the name of a grape variety, in this case, aligoté. It is produced throughout the Burgundy vineyards, in Yonne, Côte d'Or and Saône-et-Loire, and concerns nearly 1,600 hectares of vines. The wines that benefit from the AOC are required to be made exclusively from the Aligoté grape variety.
This white grape variety is the second most important in Burgundy after Chardonnay. It represents 6% of the Burgundy vine stock. It is used in the production of AOC Bourgogne-Aligoté wines, but also Crémant de Bourgogne and Côteaux Bourguignons. The Village Bouzeron AOC also makes full use of this native grape variety of the region, which is both fertile and rustic.
Characteristics of Bourgogne-Aligoté
Aligoté is a grape variety that must sublimate its terroir. This is why there is a wide variety of Bourgogne-Aligoté, white wines whose characteristics depend to a large extent on the region in which they were born and the work of the winemaker.
Generally speaking, these wines have a pale golden colour. They have lively and fresh aromas, a bouquet marked by lemon, white fruits such as peach or green apple, as well as white flowers such as acacia, hawthorn and lime. The Bourgogne-Aligoté wines are soft with their fruity and floral side, but also reveal a certain power through their minerality. Iodine and salt notes are also revealed in the mouth, as well as a delicate fruity acidity.
Burgundy-aligoté AOC is a wine that can be kept for 2 to 5 years, 10 years for the best of them and in the great vintages.
How to taste a Burgundy-Aigoté
Burgundy-Aigoté is the traditional wine that is drunk as an aperitif, alone or with blackcurrant liqueur, most often with small cheese gougères. But this energetic and fresh wine also goes well with many dishes, often generous, such as andouillettes, frog legs, Burgundy snails, parsley ham, cheese fondue...
A Bourgogne-Aligoté AOC also goes very well with fish and seafood: salmon lasagne, grilled trout, baked cod, fried calamari, oysters, prawn fritters, etc. It also goes well with salads and steamed vegetables: tabbouleh, celery remoulade, tomato salad, vegetable garden... When it comes to cheese, it goes perfectly with fresh goat's cheese, feta, faisselle, mozzarella, comté, crottin de Chavignol...
It is recommended to serve it at a temperature of 11-12°.