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Jan
11

aligoté – the other white grape…

Posted by: anthony mazza | Comments Comments Off

mussels aligote

…to quote our own tasting note…
Aligoté is often referred to as the “poor relation” to Chardonnay in Burgundy. Planted to lesser vineyard sites in the Côte d’Or, aligoté is generally relegated to to regional Appellation Bourgogne status. This is unfair as the status gives no indication of any special regional character the wine may pick up in a particular vineyard.

There are some places in Burgundy where Aligoté is given more respect (the Côte Chalonnaise AOC, Bouzeron would be the most famous example), but for the most part this grape is largely overlooked.

Every year we get a little bit from our old friend, John-Pierre Diconne, and every years it’s delicious. I wouldn’t take it to an Italian BYOB, but at a place like Pumpkin or Bistro 7, the wine shines.

The other night, I prepared steamed mussels with a white wine, butter sauce (spiked with some sautée shallots), and the pairing was perfect! We don’t get much of this wine in any given vintage (Aligoté’s not a “money making proposition” for most Burgundian producers), but I always take a few home for delicious seafood dinners.

See the tasting note for this wine

Posted by Anthony Mazza

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