Aligote around the world

Domaine Ponsot ★ 4.6

Morey-Saint-Denis domaine famed for the monopole Clos de la Roche Cuvee Vieilles Vignes and its long-lived, low-sulphur reds.

Tasting: Visits and tastings at the Gilly-les-Citeaux cellar by appointment.

Domaine Coche-Dury ★ 4.8

Cult Meursault domaine under Raphael Coche, famed for flinty, reductive Meursault and a tiny production of Corton-Charlemagne grand cru.

Tasting: No public tastings; among the most allocation-tight and collected whites in Meursault.

Domaine de Montille ★ 4.6

Volnay-based biodynamic domaine known for structured, classically built Volnay and Pommard premier crus and a growing range of whites.

Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Volnay estate; biodynamic farming.

Domaine Rollin Pere et Fils ★ 4.2

Family domaine in Pernand-Vergelesses making well-priced Corton-Charlemagne and Pernand whites alongside Aloxe-Corton and Savigny reds.

Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Pernand-Vergelesses cellar.

Domaines Devillard ★ 4.3

Cote Chalonnaise family group centred on Chateau de Chamirey in Mercurey, with Mercurey and Rully premier crus and a Nuits-Saint-Georges estate.

Tasting: Tastings at Chateau de Chamirey in Mercurey by appointment; the group also owns Domaine des Perdrix in Nuits.

Marche aux Vins ★ 4.5

Burgundy's best-known walk-in tasting cellar, set in the 15th-century Church of the Cordeliers opposite the Hospices de Beaune. Flights run from regional appellations up to Grand Cru in the vaulted cellars.

Caves Patriarche Pere et Fils ★ 4.4

Burgundy's largest cellars, five kilometres of vaulted galleries under Beaune holding around two million ageing bottles. Self-guided audio tour ends in a tasting of the Patriarche range.

Cite des Climats et vins de Bourgogne Beaune Tasting Bar ★ 4.5

The Beaune flagship of the Cite des Climats network, with a tasting bar and workshop rooms running flights across the Cote d'Or, Chablis, Grand Auxerrois and Maconnais.

Sensation Vin ★ 4.6

Dedicated Burgundy tasting room near the Hospices, founded 2006, running around 450 guided classes a year in French and English with blind-tasting and Grand Cru flights.

Domaine Sylvain Pataille ★ 4.6

Marsannay reference producer farming organically since 2008. Sylvain Pataille's single-parcel Aligote bottlings have made the overlooked grape a collector's interest.

Tip: Pataille's lieu-dit Aligotes (Le Clou, Champ Foret) are the wines insiders chase; the Marsannay reds and rose round out a village few visitors think to seek.

Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial ★ 4.6

Rully's reference domaine, run by Vincent and Celine Dureuil since 1994. Old-vine Chardonnay with Cote d'Or depth at Cote Chalonnaise prices.

Tip: Rully is the Cote Chalonnaise's best-kept white-wine secret; Dureuil-Janthial's Vieilles Vignes is the bottle that explains why insiders rate the village.

Domaine A. et P. de Villaine ★ 4.6

Aubert de Villaine's organic Bouzeron estate, where the co-director of Romanee-Conti makes the benchmark Aligote from the grape's own appellation.

Tip: Few visitors realise the man behind Romanee-Conti pours one of Burgundy's best-value whites here; the Bouzeron and the Cote Chalonnaise reds reward a detour.

Domaine A. et P. de Villaine Bouzeron ★ 4.4

The reference Aligote from the only village appellation reserved for the grape, farmed organically by Aubert de Villaine of Romanee-Conti. Citrus, white-flower and a saline cut, proof Aligote is no afterthought, just under twenty-five euros.

Tip: Bouzeron is the one place Aligote earns its own AOC; this is the bottle that converts sceptics. A classic match for snails or a gougeres aperitif.

Bouchard Pere et Fils Bourgogne Aligote ★ 3.9

A bracing, high-acid Aligote from one of Beaune's historic houses. Lemon, green apple and a mineral snap, the original base of a kir and a sharp aperitif white for well under twenty euros.

Tip: Aligote is the traditional base for kir with creme de cassis; on its own it shines with shellfish and fresh cheese.