I Love French Wine and Food - a Burgundy Aligote

If you are in the mood for fine French wine and food, why not consider the world famous Burgundy region in eastern France? You may even find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white wine based on the Aligote grape.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions Burgundy ranks fourth in acreage if you include the Beaujolais region, which most people do in spite of their considerable differences. Partisans, and they are many, claim that Burgundy is really the number one or number two wine-producing region in France, if not in the world. The wine reviewed below comes from somewhere in Burgundy, whose wine production is almost 90% white, almost exclusively Chardonnay. While the Aligote grape is Burgundy's number two white grape, it remains fairly unknown. We'll find out whether this lack of notoriety is deserved or not. Besides Burgundy Aligote grapes are raised in Bulgaria, a not a very-well known wine producer but one that occasionally generates bargains. The best Aligote wines are said to come from the village of Bouzeron and the surrounding area located in the Cote Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. These wines are occasionally a blend of Aligote and Chardonnay. As far as we know the wine reviewed is pure Aligote and does not come from the Bouzeron area of Burgundy.

If you are visiting Burgundy, and you really should, make sure to stop by the Cote d'Or village of Chateauneuf about twenty five miles (forty kilometers) southwest of Dijon in northern Burgundy. This little hilltop village seems to come straight out of the Middle Ages, except for the tourists who have recently discovered it. Its focal point is the Chateau (Castle) built in 1132 and occupied by the same family for nine generations until 1456 when Cathrine of Chateauneuf was burnt to death; it is said that she poisoned her second husband, Jacques d'Haussonville. The castle then went through various owners until the French Revolution when it was expropriated and the village's name was changed to Montfranc. With the construction of the Burgundy Canal its fate was sealed so to speak. Make sure to see the castle's medieval tapestries and its reflection in the canal. By the way, the famous Chateauneuf du Pape wine is from Provence, not from Burgundy.

Before reviewing the Burgundy wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Jambon Persille (Ham in Parsleyed Aspic). For your second course savor Rable de Lievre a la Piron (Saddle of Hare with Shallots and White Wine). And as dessert indulge yourself with Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligote 2005 12.7% about $14.00

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note Pale straw colour; Subtle aromas of mineral,citrus, anjou pear and green apple; Dry, light bodied, with clean apple/lemon flavours, crisp acidity on finish. Serving Suggestion Add cassis for a Kir, shellfish, light seafood dishes, ceviche or pan fried trout. And now for the review.

My first meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek olive sauce that had a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on a lot of grated Parmesan Cheese. The wine was light and short but did linger slightly. It was pleasantly acidic. As I continued the meal I realized that this wine is not weak. Its acidity was a good accompaniment to fruit-juice candy.

The next task for this Aligote was to accompany bagels, smoked salmon, and 15% cream cheese accompanied by Greek olives with occasional chili pepper flakes, thinly sliced red onions, and an artichoke, garlic, and tomato salsa. The wine was lightly acidic and surprisingly long. The salsa intensified its fruit, while the olives and the fresh blueberries both seemed to deaden the wine.

The final meal was a disappointing "Louisiana" style home barbecued chicken sausage. Both the meat and the wine were rather tasteless, but when I added some very strong mustard the wine's fruit did perk up a bit. The sweetness of the barbecued corn on the cob turned up the wine's acidity. But the artichoke and garlic salsa rendered this thin Burgundy, yes it is a Burgundy, even thinner.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild-tasting Italian Pecorino Fruilano. The wine was light and fruity with decent length. The Dutch Edam was nutty, a bit fatty, and somewhat sour. The cheese itself was tastier; in contrast the wine was weaker.

Final verdict. Burgundy brings its expectations. They weren't met by this wine. What do you want for this moderate price? More than what I got here. If I ever find a Bouzeron Aligote I'll give it a shot.