Burgundy's secrets are becoming harder to find, but this is one of them
A wonderfully understated wine and, for my money, one of the finest expressions of Aligoté produced anywhere in Burgundy.
Simon Larkin MW
2024 Bouzeron, Les Cordères, Domaine Paul & Marie Jacqueson
£135 per 6 bottle case in bond
The first time I tasted this wine was many years ago. Was it the 2002? Frightening to think how much time has passed. What has not changed, however, is the impression it leaves. This has long been one of Burgundy's great insider wines, quietly outperforming expectations and reminding us just how good Aligoté can be in the right hands.
Bouzeron occupies a unique place in Burgundy. It is the region's only village appellation devoted entirely to Aligoté, a distinction earned in recognition of the exceptional quality of the grape here. The appellation was created specifically to celebrate the local Aligoté Doré selection, a superior strain that produces lower yields and considerably greater aromatic complexity than the more common Aligoté found elsewhere in Burgundy.
At Jacqueson, the old Aligoté Doré vines in Les Cordères have been producing wines of remarkable character for decades. The domaine itself is based in nearby Rully and has built a reputation as one of the Côte Chalonnaise's most reliable addresses, with a meticulous approach both in vineyard and cellar. The Les Cordères parcel contains very old vines, some planted in the 1930s, and the wine receives careful élevage that adds texture and complexity without obscuring the fruit.
As I recall, what always set this wine apart was the character of the fruit. Aligoté Doré can deliver a generosity and ripeness rarely associated with the variety, bringing notes of yellow plum, citrus and ripe orchard fruit, sometimes with a subtle peach-like quality. Jacqueson's extended lees ageing then layers in an attractive smoky, lightly toasted nuance that further distances the wine from conventional expectations of Aligoté. Blind, many tasters would comfortably place this among serious white Burgundies and assume Chardonnay.
The 2024 vintage looks particularly well suited to this style. While the warmer conditions of 2022 and 2023 may have produced slightly broader, richer wines, 2024 appears to have restored some of the poise and delicacy that many of us associate with classic white Burgundy. The stated alcohol of 12.35% tells its own story. This is a refreshingly modest level by modern standards and a welcome reminder that elegance need not come at the expense of flavour.
What I have always admired most about Les Cordères is its balance. There is sufficient fruit to satisfy, sufficient texture to engage, yet the wine never feels heavy. Instead, it seems to float across the palate with a natural ease that has become increasingly rare as warmer vintages have altered the profile of so many white Burgundies.
In an era when many wine lovers lament the loss of freshness and restraint in white Burgundy, wines like this provide a timely reminder of what made the region famous in the first place. It is not power that impresses here, but precision, balance and quiet confidence.
Burgundy's secrets are becoming harder to find. Yet this remains one of them. In a world where certain fashionable Aligotés now command eye-watering prices on the strength of reputation alone, Jacqueson's Bouzeron continues to deliver extraordinary quality with little fanfare. In terms of sheer poise, complexity and drinkability, it would leave many far more expensive cult examples in its wake.
A wonderfully understated wine and, for my money, one of the finest expressions of Aligoté produced anywhere in Burgundy.
2024 Bouzeron, Les Cordères, Domaine Paul & Marie Jacqueson
£135 per 6 bottle case in bond
Please let us know of your interest.
Simon
simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com