2020 Albert Bichot Bourgogne Aligote 750 ml

Aligoté is Burgundy’s great insider secret. We’re convinced that if we could pour a taste of the citrusy, minerally wine for every white-wine lover in the country, it would rocket to the top, bumping some current household-name varieties down the list. 

Rarity: That’s the reason that Aligoté hasn’t reached superstar status in the States. The grape is sparsely planted, and what does make it to the bottle is snatched up by thirsty locals and Parisian bistros long before an importer can even take a taste.

With three Winemaker of the Year titles under their belt, Albert Bichot is a Burgundy stalwart that Decanter called “one of the region’s most dynamic, quality-focused” domaines. That’s seriously impressive praise, considering Burgundy’s host of internationally renowned estates. Bichot has owned land in Burgundy since the 14th century, and over the years they’ve built one of the most enviable collections of vineyards in the region, allowing them to tap into top terroirs.

Citrusty and mineral-driven Aligoté is beloved by quality-focused winemakers—Leroy, Roulot, and Coche-Dury among them—and French restaurateurs, yet it only accounts for 6% of Burgundy’s acreage. Historically, it was a grape that you’d see on the tables of winemakers in Burgundy, who prized its hardiness in the vineyard and tangy acidity, but it has remained out of the limelight, keeping prices low—even as wineries like Bichot continue to push the envelope on quality for the grape.

Bichot’s Aligoté is one of the best bargains in their already value-laden lineup. The grape is naturally bright and minerally, so Bichot uses stainless-steel tanks for both fermentation and aging to preserve that minerality, and the wine is as classic an example of Aligoté as you can find.