What is Burgundys “Other White Grape?
It’s Aligote, a grape known about and cultivated since the 1700s. Often our French friends make it into a varietal called Bourgogne Aligote, a dry, aromatic white that can also be the base wine for the sparkling Cremant de Bourgogne. Under French wine law a wine labeled Aligote can be mixed with up to 15% Chardonnay. It’s also mixed with Creme de Cassis (blackcurrant) to make the famous cocktail Kir. You should try this very pleasant, almost unknown wine! The best ones come from Bouzeron AOC in France, but you can get good Aligote from Washington State and even Long Island.
