2023 Dupont-Fahn, Bourgogne Aligote

For Raymond Dupont-Fahn, Aligoté is a serious viticultural pursuit rather than a secondary consideration. He manages these parcels with the same rigor applied to his more prestigious sites, eschewing herbicides and plowing the rows to drive root systems deep into the underlying limestone. This commitment to soil health and vine competition is the technical foundation for a wine that consistently over-delivers on structural complexity.

While most Aligoté is rushed through stainless steel for early consumption, Dupont-Fahn opts for an extended elevage in neutral oak barrels. In the 2023 vintage, this approach has yielded a wine of significant poise; the wood contact allows for a controlled micro-oxygenation that rounds out the variety’s aggressive acidity without obscuring its mineral signature. The palate opens with a supple, sun-kissed breadth—a reflection of the warm growing season—before quickly pivoting into a chiseled, stony finish. It is a texturally layered wine that trades simple fruit for a firm, architectural grip.