Jean-Philippe Fichet, Bourgogne Aligoté (Burgundy, France) 2023 ($34, Vineyard Road)

Aligoté, Burgundy’s other white grape, accounts for only about five percent of all plantings in the region, which explains why it’s not very well-known. Regulations for the Bouzeron appellation mandate its use there, but otherwise it’s Burgundy’s only appellation that uses a grape name instead of a geographic one. Jean-Philippe Fichet, who is renowned for his Meursault, has fashioned a delectable 2023 Aligoté that combines the grape’s inherent vivacity with the ripeness of the vintage. A touch of creaminess and spice in the finish identifies it as coming from, unsurprisingly, Meursault. It would be a fine choice for chicken is a creamy mustard sauce or similar fare.
91 Michael Apstein