2020 Fanny Sabre Bourgogne-Aligoté

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 91 points

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  7/22/2023 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points

  100% biodynamically farmed Aligoté. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks. Aged for at least 6 months in old oak barrels. 12% alcohol.
  
  Pale, youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels fragrant, sweet-toned and both crisp and stuffy at the same time with aromas of red apples and juicy pear tones, some creamy notes suggesting oak aging, light reductive notes of flinty smoke, a little bit of nectarine, a skunky hint of sulfurous reduction and a touch of zesty citrus fruit. The wine feels crisp, lively and quite acid-driven on the palate with a light-to-medium body and ripe yet dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits and saline mineral tones, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of key lime, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of sweet oak spice and a smoky touch of reduction. The brisk acidity lends good sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, fresh and lively with a long, dry aftertaste of Granny Smith apple and lemony citrus fruits, some leesy notes of creaminess, light reductive nuances of gunpowder smoke, a zesty hint of key lime and a touch of stony minerality.
  
  A lovely, very crisp and wonderfully lively Aligoté with great sense of intensity, depth and structure. The oak influence lends a little bit of creamy complexity without really obfuscating any of the brisk, acid-driven varietal flavors of Aligoté. The overall feel is still a bit reductive, and especially the nose had a slightly stuffy, skunky element to it - but based on the brisk vibrancy, I have no doubts this wine is able to age enough to lose that reduction. If opened now or in the near future, I suggest aerating the wine for some time. All in all, a pretty lovely and quite serious effort for this often overlooked variety.

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