Ballot-Millot Bourgogne Aligoté, Burgundy, France 2023
Domaine Ballot-Millot has roots in Meursault stretching back to the 17th century, its name a union of the Ballot and Millot family lines. Today the estate is led by Charles Ballot, the 15th generation, who took over in 2001 and has significantly elevated quality while protecting an enviable portfolio of old vines. Holding 10 hectares across Meursault and the Côte de Beaune — including Premier Cru parcels in Perrières, Genevrières, Charmes, and Bouchères — the domaine is one of the few in Meursault to hold all three of the village's greatest Premier Crus. Charles's style aligns with what observers call the Roulot school: tensile, racy, and terroir-expressive rather than rich or heavy. His Aligoté receives the same attentive cellar treatment as his Chardonnay, making it among the most seriously crafted expressions of the grape in Burgundy.
- Winemaker: Charles Ballot
- Farming: Organic in practice (uncertified). Herbicide-free; soils ploughed. Yields significantly reduced; rigorous sorting. No chemical or systemic treatments.
- Variety: Aligoté 100%
- Terroir: Bourgogne Aligoté AOP, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy. Sourced from estate Aligoté vines in and around Meursault, planted on the limestone and marl soils characteristic of the Côte de Beaune. The appellation's chalk-influenced subsoil contributes the variety's signature snap of acidity and mineral lift.
- Vinification: Whole-cluster pressing at low pressure, unsulfured at press. Juice settles one day before being moved to barrel. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in barrel, on full lees without stirring.
- Aging: Approximately 12 months in French oak (low percentage new; 10–15% for village wines), followed by 6 months in stainless steel tank before bottling.
- Tasting Notes: Bright and lively with crisp lemon, green apple, and white flower on the nose, underscored by a chalky minerality. The palate is clean and focused with zippy acidity, a light creamy texture from lees aging, and a clean, saline finish — a step above the generic appellation in weight and precision.
- Food Pairings: Oysters, gougères, herb-dressed steamed mussels, fresh chèvre, leek tart, and seafood pasta.
Ballot-Millot Bourgogne Aligoté, Burgundy, France 2023
Domaine Ballot-Millot has roots in Meursault stretching back to the 17th century, its name a union of the Ballot and Millot family lines. Today the estate is led by Charles Ballot, the 15th generation, who took over in 2001 and has significantly elevated quality while protecting an enviable portfolio of old vines. Holding 10 hectares across Meursault and the Côte de Beaune — including Premier Cru parcels in Perrières, Genevrières, Charmes, and Bouchères — the domaine is one of the few in Meursault to hold all three of the village's greatest Premier Crus. Charles's style aligns with what observers call the Roulot school: tensile, racy, and terroir-expressive rather than rich or heavy. His Aligoté receives the same attentive cellar treatment as his Chardonnay, making it among the most seriously crafted expressions of the grape in Burgundy.
- Winemaker: Charles Ballot
- Farming: Organic in practice (uncertified). Herbicide-free; soils ploughed. Yields significantly reduced; rigorous sorting. No chemical or systemic treatments.
- Variety: Aligoté 100%
- Terroir: Bourgogne Aligoté AOP, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy. Sourced from estate Aligoté vines in and around Meursault, planted on the limestone and marl soils characteristic of the Côte de Beaune. The appellation's chalk-influenced subsoil contributes the variety's signature snap of acidity and mineral lift.
- Vinification: Whole-cluster pressing at low pressure, unsulfured at press. Juice settles one day before being moved to barrel. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in barrel, on full lees without stirring.
- Aging: Approximately 12 months in French oak (low percentage new; 10–15% for village wines), followed by 6 months in stainless steel tank before bottling.
- Tasting Notes: Bright and lively with crisp lemon, green apple, and white flower on the nose, underscored by a chalky minerality. The palate is clean and focused with zippy acidity, a light creamy texture from lees aging, and a clean, saline finish — a step above the generic appellation in weight and precision.
- Food Pairings: Oysters, gougères, herb-dressed steamed mussels, fresh chèvre, leek tart, and seafood pasta.