Our tasting impressions
Respect for and appreciation of Aligoté is on the rise as more revered Burgundy producers are offering it. Those of you who have had Guiton’s in the past, know what a terrifically enjoyable wine this is. And in 2024, we have something like the perfect vintage for it. It’s crisp, racy and laser-focused. This iteration only strengthens our opinion of the beauty of it paired with sushi and if you drank wine as an aperitif, this is a stellar choice.
About this wine
100% Aligoté from a single vineyard in Bligny-Les-Beaune planted in 2003. The soil is gravel and sand. The yield was just 35 hl/ha even though Guillaume had enough grapes to produce twice that amount. Hand-harvested, whole grape clusters were pressed, then fermented in steel tanks for 9-12 days. He had vacant 4-5 year-old oak barrels, so he put the Aligoté in for 4 months. The aging continued in tank and 3 months in bottle before bottling in February, 2023.
About the grape
Aligoté is the third most planted grape in Burgundy. It is easy to cultivate and thrives in cooler locations than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Naturally, high in acidity, Aligoté is under-appreciated, perhaps as a result of its traditional role mixed with Crème de Cassis in Kir.
About the Vintage
Almost a polar opposite to the lush, abundant crop of the prior year, 2024 was a brutal and vindictive vintage. Persistent spring rain threatened widespread mildew. The now familiar April frost occurred and there were localized hail storms. If you’re dealing with poor, or even mediocre farmers/producers, this was a vintage to skip. But the dedicated farmers, who are also gifted (and not greedy) vignerons - like Guiton - were able to produce tiny quantities of incredibly concentrated wines.
Guillaume Guiton is a fiercely dedicated and extraordinary vigneron and a super nice guy. In the grand scheme of Burgundy, his vineyards would be considered modest...his wines, we consider, anything but.
He has been running this 11.5 hectare Domaine since 2002. His father Jean started it in 1973. Very much a hybrid estate, Guillaume owns 4ha, rents the rest and even buys grapes in his pursuit of the best he can get. He produces about 50,000 bottles per year.
He is a devoted terroirista, who welcomes the opportunity not to intervene in what nature offers. He is always in the vineyards, farming in an organic manner. His methods vary based on vintage circumstances but he usually de-stems his red grapes and mostly avoids fining and filtration.
Guillaume is an intense student of barrels. He raises many wines in a variety of barrels before blending, only uses them for 6 years and never employs more than 20% new oak.
