Aligoté in its finest form by Aubert de Villaine
As co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Aubert de Villaine is responsible for some of the most revered wines on earth. Alongside those legendary bottles, he has devoted equal care, precision, and belief to a more modest and forward thinking project: Domaine A. & P. de Villaine in the tiny appellation of Bouzeron.
This is not a vanity side project. It is a lifelong commitment to expressing one of Burgundy’s most misunderstood grapes, Aligoté, at the highest possible level. In fact, Aubert himself was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Bouzeron appellation, the only AOC in Burgundy dedicated exclusively to Aligoté. His vision was simple: give this grape the same respect, terroir focus, and meticulous farming long afforded to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The 2023 Bouzeron captures that vision perfectly. Burgundy’s increasingly warm summers have transformed Aligoté into something far more generous and expressive than in the past. What was once considered a sharp, utilitarian grape now offers depth, texture, and surprising richness while still retaining its brilliant natural freshness.
Even more important, the de Villaine family has replanted their vineyards with Aligoté doré rather than the more common Aligoté vert. The doré produces lower yields and far more aromatic, complex wines. The result is a Bouzeron that is layered, mineral, and beautifully perfumed, with a mouthfeel that recalls the richness of Alsace Pinot Gris.
On the palate, the 2023 is luminous: citrus peel, orchard fruit, crushed stone, white flowers, and a saline, chalky core that drives the finish. It is dramatically more expressive and mineral than Aligoté from other corners of Burgundy, yet remains effortlessly drinkable and dangerously refreshing. Note the 90-point score from Jasper White on this wine; it is not uncommon for 1er cru wines to have an 89-90 point score from Jasper. He does not pander and his 90 point scores are difficult to come by
This is a wine made with the same obsessive attention to detail, the same patience, and the same talent that Aubert de Villaine applies to the world’s most famous vineyard. The difference is that this bottle remains one of Burgundy’s great values — and one of its greatest secrets.
90 Points, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy