Aligoté is often referred to as the other white grape of Burgundy (after Chardonnay). But it is garnishing more attention these days as a variety with notably crisp acidity.
One of the things I love about the Gueguen wines is their freshness which this Aligoté shares. It has appealing floral notes on the nose whilst the palate comes alive with lemon sherbert and green apple.
It's a deliciously, moreishly easy drinker.
The vineyard is located in the village of Saint-Bris, slightly south-west of Chablis. The vines are around 65 years old and they were planted for Cecile Gueguen's mother, Marie Louise (hence the name of the cuvée).
Serve this as an apperitif, with white meat, shellfish, fish sauce, ham, chicken, cheese, such as Epoisses, Langres.
Burgundy (or Bourgogne in French) is small in size, the Côte d'Or has about 8000 hectares under vine, yet its influence is immense. It is home to some of the best known and most expensive wines in the world. Look in the right places and there is great quality and superb value to be found.
The two major grapes are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though you can find small pockets of well-made Aligoté.
Aligoté is a white grape variety grown mostly in Burgundy, although even there it can be hard to find as the more popular Chardonnay and Pinot Noir steal the limelight.
When done well, it has enchanting, lightly floral aromas, with a combination of citrus fruitiness and flinty minerality and, above all, a vivid, mouthwatering acidity. It can also age for several years.
The family is based in Chablis between the Auxerrois and Chablis vineyards. The estate is made up of 36 hectares of vines in the villages of Chablis, Chichée, la Chapelle Vaupelteigne, Saint-Bris and Irancy.
Céline has a long heritage in the Chablis region. Winegrowers since the 16th century, her family has been working vineyards and mills around the city of Auxerre ever since.
