Bourgogne Aligoté Doré Presse Verticale 429, Boris Champy 2023

The 2023 Bourgogne Aligoté Doré Presse Verticale comes from the same vineyard as the Doré but was made in a vertical press with around 50% new oak (rather than 15%). Perhaps that new wood does impinge a little on the nose, detracting from its purity at the moment with touches of lychee and pineapple. The palate is fuller and deeper than the regular cuvée, with a touch of sour lemon and tropical fruit on the mid-palate and a leesy finish. This will be intriguing to watch age in bottle. (Drink between 2024-2032)

I love the lemon curd richness of this remarkably structured and bold aligote that easily handles a slug of new oak. The flinty freshness adds a lot to this on the medium-bodied palate and drives the long, fresh, citrus finish. Very limited production. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.