de Villaine Bouzeron Aligote 2020 (1.5L)

93 DE / 91 JS / 90 WA / 88-91 BH

Outer quote mark There is a pure lemony fruit on the initial attack here, but there is more complexity than that, with saline, iodine notes, plus hints of beeswax and hay. The texture is truly enchanting, with a rich, waxy, slightly phenolic texture and a lovely, slight bitterness that balances out the richness. This is built to age and will last a decade or more, at least. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035. -Decanter

Outer quote mark This aligote offers sophisticated refreshment. Very fresh nose of lemon zest, flint and a slew of fresh garden herbs. Sleek and racy, with a lovely balance of creaminess from sur-lie maturation, zesty acidity and salty minerality. From organically grown grapes. -James Suckling

Outer quote mark Aromas of green apple, freshly baked bread, mint and beeswax introduce the 2020 Bouzeron, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive wine with a lively spine of acidity, chalky structure and a saline finish. After the unusually rich, concentrated 2019, the 2020 marks a return to a more classically proportioned Bouzeron from de Villaine.

The 2020 and 2019 vintages have been kind to Domaine de Villaine, where the thoughtful Pierre de Benoist and his team have produced a fine set of wines, including the 2020 La Digoine, a bottle that gets my nod as the finest red produced at this address in recent times. Established in 1971 by Aubert de Villaine and farmed organically since 1986, Aubert's nephew Pierre de Benoist has had the helm since 2003, presiding over a recent expansion into Rully that means the estate now exploits a fantastic array of climate in that commune. The flagship bottling, of course, is the Aligoté, emblematic of Bouzeron, which returns to more classical proportions in 2020 after the unusually concentrated, intensely flavored 2019 rendition.-William Kelley, Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark A citrusy and very spicy nose of mostly white fleshed fruit precedes punchy and saline-inflected middle weight flavors that possess plenty of bitter lemon character on the bone-dry and lingering finish. This is blessed with bright acidity and is a wine that could be enjoyed young or held for a few years first so that better complexity can develop. Worth a look. -Burghound