Clos des Monts Luisants Vieilles Vignes Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Aligoté

The best Aligoté I’ve ever had?

the only 1er Aligote in FR. Monopole. vines 100+ yrs old. native yeast. rich, dulce de leche, bruised ripe pear,

Magnum

Pale gold in colour. Skinnsy aromas with an oxidative note like manzanilla. Lemon blossom with some mineral flinty notes. A lot happening and changing - after a few hours a bruised old Apple note. I think in a line up of Chardonnays in Burgundy one might pick this as the 100% Aligote - it is sufficiently different. Expensive for an Aligote but then again it is Ponsot. Laurent Ponsot is fanatical about accurately translating the terroir - so there is no malolactic fermentation, no new oak, no batonnage,no fining, and no filtration. According to Laurent, the Monts Luisants hillside has been planted with white grapes since the Middle Ages or before. There used to be a little Chardonnay and a hybrid known as Pinot Gouges but by 2004 the latter 2 were grubbed out so that from 2005 the Clos des Monts Luisants Vieilles Vignes consists purely of Aligote from the original 1911 planting. A Monopole and one of the 1001 Wines.

NYE pairing

A little long in the tooth but the goods are still back there somewhere.

Opulent fruit with toasted notes, but well balanced and still quite refreshing.

Out of magnum

Good but way overpriced

Great 1er Cru Aligote'. Champagne-like nose, slight oxidization, very interesting.