Chateau de Rougeon Bourgogne Aligote La Cabane 2019

The Aligote grape is having a moment. This variety has lived a mostly anonymous life in the deep shadow of Chardonnay, chiefly in the village of Bouzeron, where Burgundy’s Cote d’Or and Cote Chalonnaise meet. A few stubborn winemakers kept the grape alive as a local curiosity, this “other white grape of Burgundy” capable of ripening even on the cold north-facing slope of Bouzeron’s tiny valley. However, as prices in Burgundy continue their steady climb, and the climate becomes less predictable, the frost resistant, crisp and reliable Aligote has crept into the limelight. Domaine Rougeon happens to be one of the finest sites in all of Burgundy for Aligote, and they are a leading member of the Aligoteurs, an informal group of wineries putting the grape on center stage. The key to Aligote, as with most grapes, is not to get in the way. This grape speaks in a clear voice, and on the nose it says a lot about apples, apricots, Meyer lemon and key lime zest. There’s some hazelnut crusted brio