2023 Goisot Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy

Quite a complex saline nose, lemon scented plums and just when it seems almost too enjoyable it settles down behind with a delicious limestone mineral finish. Very persistent.

89 points Jasper Morris MW insideburgundy.com

Biodynamic. Goisot’s old-vine Aligoté is drawn from parcels of mature vines planted on the high, cool slopes of Saint-Bris. Aligoté is notorious for requiring old vines and suitable soils to produce wines of high quality and Goisot’s holdings nail the brief. The core vineyards include a parcel of 90-year-old Aligoté Doré planted on the high slopes of an old Chardonnay terroir northwest of Saint-Bris. This soil, known as Barrémien, is made up of ancient, dense clay littered with blue-grey fossilised oyster shells, several inches long. Then there is a grouping of 45-year-old vines in the lieux-dits of Croix Rougeot, Côte de Coutance and Côte de la Canne, near Goisot’s Exogyra Virgula vineyard. 

Goisot’s biodynamic management and commitment to harvesting ripe, yellow fruit results in a far more textured and pulpy wine than you might typically associate with this variety. Fermented with native yeasts and raised entirely in tank, it is simply a benchmark example of Aligoté, and a wonderful-value white Burgundy.

Goisot Bourgogne Aligoté is one of the great under the radar whites of Burgundy, a wine that shows just how thrilling this ancient variety can be when grown on the right soils and treated with care. The vineyards lie in the hills around Saint Bris in northern Burgundy, where Kimmeridgian limestone and clay give Aligoté piercing freshness, mineral drive and surprising depth. This is cool climate Burgundy at its most vibrant.

The Goisot family has been farming here since the 1940s and is now led by Guilhem Goisot, one of the quiet stars of the region. The vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically, and the winemaking is gentle and low intervention, allowing the grapes and terroir to speak clearly. Goisot’s Aligoté has become a cult favourite for those who love tension, texture and authenticity in white wine.

In the glass, the wine shows green apple, lemon zest and white flowers, with a chalky, saline edge that reflects the limestone soils. The palate is crisp, mouthwatering and full of energy, driven by bright acidity and finishing long, dry and mineral. It is refreshing, but also surprisingly complex.

This is a brilliant food wine. Oysters, prawns, grilled fish, goat’s cheese, salads or even classic jambon beurre all pair beautifully with its zingy freshness.

Goisot Bourgogne Aligoté is delicious young for its vibrancy and purity, but it will also develop more savoury and nutty notes over five to eight years. It is a superb example of why Aligoté is enjoying such a renaissance in Burgundy.