2018 Joseph Colin Bourgogne-Aligoté Les Jardins de la Côte

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 90.3 points

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  7/22/2021 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points

  A single-vineyard Aligoté from lieu-dit Les Jardins de la Côte, which is planted to 70-yo vines within the Saint-Aubin appellation. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, aged in 350-liter oak barrels. 12,5% alcohol.
  
  Youthful and very slightly hazy pale green color. Surprisingly Sauvignon Blanc-like nose with sharp aromas of grass, currant leaves and green currants, some cat's pee character, a little bit of sweaty gym locker room, light creamy notes of oak, a candied hint of gummi bears and a touch of passion fruit. The wine is crisp, lively and medium-bodied on the palate with bright, vivid flavors of tart green apples and passion fruit, some sweeter notes of gummi bear candies, light pink grapefruit tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of tart lemony citrus fruit and a touch of steely minerality. The pungent, slightly herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc aromas don't seem to appear on the palate, so the wine basically has a textbook Aligoté taste. The bright, racy acidity lends great freshness and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and slightly steely with precise flavors of tart lemon and apple peel bitterness, some tangy salinity, a little bit of grassy greenness, light passion fruit tones, a candied hint of gummi bears or other soft fruit candies and a touch of cat pee.
  
  A very odd and atypical Aligoté. When the wine was poured, everybody was surprised by the nose and some were wondering whether this was a Sauvignon Blanc from Saint-Bris - especially the grassy notes and hints of cat's pee with the sweeter nuances of passion fruit made the wine smell almost like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc! However, the taste was completely different and on the palate the wine was pretty much everything you could ask for a young Aligoté. Even the warm 2018 vintage wasn't evident at all, the wine being so crisp, spry and zippy. Even though the nose didn't promise much, the wine managed to deliver on the palate, big time. I hope some further aging might make the nose come better together and bring some additional tertiary complexity to the palate. Although pretty lovely right now, I can imagine this wine will continue to improve for another 10 years or so. Priced according to its quality at 23€.

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  10/5/2020 - redhead6971 wrote: 91 Points

  Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes J. Colin Aligoté 2018
  Winery: Joseph Colin
  Varietal: Aligoté Area/Appellation: Bourgogne/ Les Jardins de la Côte Vintage: 2018
  Price: $ 30
  Color: very pale golden yellow. Legs: very slow
  Nose: lemon rind, some nuttiness, some pear accents,
  Palate: pear, lemon, exotic yellow fruits, minerals like granite and slate,
  Finish: lemon, immature peach, a little yellow melon, flint, lip smacking, fun.
  Comments: With it’s great acidity along with a light fruit balance, I can see why this is a making head way in the US markets.
  Want a food friendly alternative to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. You need to try this.
  Pairing Suggestions: summer fruit salad, grilled shrimp with light spices, creamy French cheeses with herbs such as Fromager d’Affinois with Herbs, oysters yes salty oysters, fried catfish, fried oysters, southern fried foods.
  Score in terms of Vintage: 92
  Score for the Wine: 91
  Value for the Money: Excellent
  Date Tasted: 10/03/2020
  Tasted by: ACK

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