Bourgogne Aligoté 2022, Vincent Bachelet

The best-kept secret of Burgundy?! This Aligoté by Vincent Bachelet.

Normally, I cringe when terms like mini-Meursault or mini-Amarone are used inappropriately, but I must admit that with this wine—initially tasted blind—I, too, have to bestow the title "Mini-Puligny."

This 2022 vintage Aligoté is an astonishingly refined wine. It shows a remarkable amount of development on the nose, in a positively surprising way. The nose is powerful, slightly oxidative, but certainly not overdone. On the palate, it has a fresh character—not a heavy-hitter but rather precise and rich. Nutty and buttery notes on the nose beautifully transition onto the palate and finish, accompanied by a healthy acidity. The finish and overall quality of this wine are far "above normal" for Aligoté. It boasts a grand Burgundian character reminiscent of an aged Puligny-Montrachet, but at a fraction of the cost. A no-brainer purchase in my book. Serve it with fish or oysters, and the evening is virtually guaranteed to be a success. Vincent is a fourth-generation winemaker from Dezize-les-Maranges in Burgundy. In 2007, he moved to Chassagne-Montrachet, where he took over the former wine cellar of the Marcilly family, dating back to the 18th century. From this charming location, Domaine Bachelet manages 15 hectares of vineyards spread across the heart of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.

Today, Vincent’s daughter, Aurore, is ready to take over as the fifth-generation winemaker. Aurore Bachelet also produces her own selection of elegant wines with her unique signature, which are also available via Bourgognewijn.shop.

The Aligoté vines cultivated by Vincent Bachelet are situated in the Terres Blanches region of the Chassey-Le-Camp commune, nestled between Chassagne-Montrachet and Bouzeron. These vines enjoy a prime location on the hillside, unlike the majority of Aligoté vineyards, which are typically planted on the flat plains.

The soil here consists of a robust layer of Toarcian marl, ranging from 30 to 40 meters in thickness, formed during the end of the Lower Jurassic period (approximately 183 to 175.6 million years ago). At that time, the area was submerged beneath a deep, cold, and tranquil sea, which left behind sedimentary deposits indicative of these ancient marine conditions.

The vineyard is managed using principles of "intelligent" sustainable agriculture, where vine treatments are applied strictly when necessary. Harvesting is done by hand, ensuring that whole bunches—including berries and stalks—are promptly pressed upon arrival at the winery. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts, followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine then undergoes an 11-month maturation process on its fine lees in barrels that have previously been used for one or two vintages. During the initial months of aging, the lees are regularly stirred to enhance flavor and texture. Afterward, the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks for a one-month resting period. It is then fined, filtered, and bottled. To ensure the wine remains free from cork taint, a DIAM5® cork stopper is used for sealing.