2020 Maison Petit-Roy Bourgogne Aligoté

WINEMAKER: Seiichi Saito
REGION: Burgundy, FR
VARIETAL: Aligoté
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

From Seiichi's own vineyard in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, which he tends to with biodynamics. From the same lieu-dit as his Bourgogne Blanc, 'Aux Boutières'. These vines were planted in 1983, and grow on clay and limestone soils, with some marl. Direct press, ageing in old oak for just over one year. The wine then settles in tank for a few months. Not fined or filtered, with only a small amount of sulfur added just before bottling.

Lime, blossoms, butter, toasted nuts, and a saline edge. The palate is rich and full, with lime cordial, butter, and toasty notes. Mineral and super long, the acidity caries it for eons – without being sharp or intense. In fact, the balance is perfect. Impossible to fault, this is an amazing expression of Aligoté.

Seiichi makes a wide range of wines from throughout the Côte d'Or. A portion of these are from his own vineyards, with a surface area of just over 1.5ha. Seiichi works with nature, practicing biodynamics to ensure the grapes are healthy and of the highest quality. He also purchases grapes from other growers, as a means to make enough to survive and slowly grow his own domaine. For those new to discover Seiichi's wines, you will be pleased to know that he has a tonne of experience under his belt. He honed his craft with a long stint at Domaine Simon Bize, before spending time with some of the more prominent domaines in Burgundy, such as Leflaive, JF-Mugnier and Armand Rousseau. With a good ten year's of training and knowledge, he started his own micro-négoce operation in 2017. Seiichi is confident in his preferences, choosing to work with minimal intervention, and only using old oak for élevage. His wines are polished, sturdy, and approachable at a young age.