Description
The Wine
Aligoté has a reputation problem it doesn’t entirely deserve. At its worst it is thin, sharp, and forgettable — which is how most Aligoté is made and why the grape rarely gets serious attention. At its best, from old vines in a good site handled with genuine care, it is one of Burgundy’s most distinctive and food-friendly whites.
This is the best version. François Buisson sources his Aligoté from two Meursault lieu-dits — Magny and Sous le Chemin — where vines ranging from 40 to 80 years old grow in the same organically farmed clay-limestone soils that produce the domaine’s celebrated Chardonnay. The wine is aged one year in neutral barrels, which adds texture and weight without the vanilla or toast character of new oak.
The result is an Aligoté that tastes like somewhere specific. White flowers, citrus, a mineral tension and length that is not commonly found in this appellation. François’s own description is accurate: fruity, tense without being acidic, genuinely gourmet.
Vineyard & Vintage Details
Producer: Domaine Buisson-Battault
Appellation: Bourgogne Aligoté AOC
Grape: 100% Aligoté
Lieu-dits: Magny & Sous le Chemin, Meursault
Vine age: 40–80 years
Farming: Organic
Élevage: 12 months in neutral barrels
Vintage: 2020
Winemaker’s Note
François Buisson:
“Fruity wine with notes of white flowers. Tense without being acidic, it is a gourmet wine.”
Tasting Notes
White flowers, lemon zest, green apple, a hint of almond and chalk. Precise and lively on the palate — the neutral barrel ageing adds texture without weight. Long, mineral finish with real freshness. More structure and length than most Aligoté. Drink now through 2026.
Service: 10–12°C. Oysters, steamed mussels, goat cheese, charcuterie, light fish dishes. A natural aperitif.
2020 Vintage Note
2020 was a warm and generous vintage across Burgundy — rich, ripe fruit with naturally low acidity. For Aligoté, a grape that relies on acidity for its character, a warm vintage requires careful attention in the cellar. The one-year neutral barrel ageing here adds the texture and weight that preserves the wine’s balance in a riper year. Drink now — this is not a wine to hold.
Domaine Buisson-Battault
François Buisson is the fifth generation of a family farming in Meursault since at least the early 20th century. 8.5 hectares, organically farmed across 14 appellations. On the lists of Michelin-starred restaurants throughout California.
