We have a rare release from Domaine Dandelion: we have very limited quantities of the 2023 Aligoté to go round!
The Aligoté is an assemblage of two parcels in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, both planted in the 1940s: a quarter-hectare parcel "Vigne De Cret" located on the hill just below Christian's home and winery, with soft, rich soils - its assumed to be an ex-veg patch - offering good yields despite its age and plenty of accessible nitrogen.
The other half comes from the "Goutte d'Or" - a steep half hectare parcel that has some of the oldest vines, with just one third planted to Aligote in 1944 (the rest to Pinot Noir and Gamay) - the Aligote struggles here, on the hills that have very little top-soil, but it produces beautiful yellow, freckled berries. With not much accessible nitrogen, co-fermenting with the lively Vigne de Cret makes a perfect combination. 2023 was generally warm, with a mild winter, a cool summer with spots of rain and a late heatwave just before harvest.
Fruit was basket-pressed slowly and aged in old barrels of 300 and 500 litres for 30 months on the lees before bottling by gravity with no additions. The result is incredibly long and fluid, with great salinity and energetic acids, a properly thrilling Aligoté.
