Domaine Darviot-Perrin, Bourgogne Aligoté “Champs Lins” Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France 2020 (750mL)

Burgundy’s “other” white grape. Aligoté is the hardier, earlier-ripening cousin of Chardonnay that was widely planted and enjoyed across Burgundy in the 19th century. Now, only a few hidden pockets can be found throughout the Côte de Beaune, but several elite producers—Roulot, Coche-Dury, Ramonet, Leroy, and Darviot-Perrin, of course—are keen on keeping it alive. Darviot-Perrin’s tiny Aligoté parcel is planted to 60-year-old, organically farmed vines. The hand-harvested grapes are whole-cluster pressed and fermented using ambient yeasts. The resulting wine is aged in 25% new Allier oak barrels for 12 months. This is followed by six additional months in stainless steel tank before the wines are bottled without filtration.