2023 Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley Bourgogne Aligote, Burgundy

The 2023 Bourgogne Aligoté offers up aromas of sweet orchard fruit, fresh bread and flowers, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and charming palate. It was matured in 500-liter barrels.

88 points William Kelley, Robert Parker

In Volnay, where Pinot Noir usually steals the show, the Bouley family has long had a quiet talent for whites, and their Aligoté is one of those under the radar gems. Jean Marc and Thomas Bouley farm with real attention to detail, working older vines where possible and treating even their regional wines with the same care as their top sites. This is Aligoté handled seriously, not as an afterthought.

The aromatics are fresh and precise, lemon zest and green apple leading the way, with a subtle lift of white flowers. There is a fine chalky note underneath, a quiet nod to the limestone soils, along with a faint hint of almond that adds a little extra interest.

On the palate it is bright and tightly focused, with crisp acidity giving it real drive. The fruit sits in that citrus and orchard spectrum, finishing clean and dry with a gentle saline edge that makes it very moreish. It feels lean but not thin, there is just enough texture to round things out.

Winemaking is kept simple and restrained, stainless steel preserving that natural freshness, allowing the variety’s energy and clarity to shine through.

This is made for uncomplicated, well chosen food. Oysters, sardines on toast, or a simple roast chicken all work beautifully. It also pairs nicely with goat’s cheese or fresh salads where the acidity can lift the flavours. Best enjoyed young to capture that vibrancy and crispness, offering a pure, refreshing take on Burgundy’s other white grape.