Wine of the Week: David Moret ‘Le Grand A’ Aligoté 2019
Discover Burgundy’s best-kept secret
Words: Zoe Dickens
It takes a lot of confidence to call your wine Le Grand A. Not only the first, bust also the finest; those are big boots to fill right from the off. Especially when we’re talking about wine made from a grape varietal most casual drinkers will never have heard of.
But David Moret has good cause to be confident. Working out of his small cellar in Beaune, Moret has been producing top quality white Burgundy since 1999, purchasing small batches of grapes from the same plots of vines year after year to ensure a premium product. This Aligoté is no different. Creating using grapes from vines with an average age of 60 years, it is an astoundingly well balanced example of this often overlooked grape variety. Here’s what you need to know…
On the eyes: Forget what they say about judging a book by its cover – David Moret’s Le Grand A is as crisp as they come and you only have to look at it to see that. Its pale yellow colour belies the brilliant concentration the characterises this wine but also speaks of the easy balance between acidity, richness and power it unveils on tasting.
On the nose: Having spent 18 months in French oak barrels, there’s a lovely deepness to the aroma of Le Grand A. Tempered by the freshness of its citrus flavours, its complexity is immediately evident, with nutty tones also coming to the fore in a nose that is enticing without overpowering.
On the palate: Aligoté was traditionally reserved for the winemakers themselves to drink and, while we’re not saying they kept the good stuff for themselves, we’re not not saying it. The result is that, while chardonnays and pinots get snapped for inflated prices, superb Aligoté’s can be found for a fraction of the cost. Le Grand A is just such a bottle, with a great richness, elegant balance between citrus and minerality and a bold flavour that errs just on the right side of powerful. This is a white that will make you sit up and take notice.
On the finish: Le Grand A is all about nougat and toasted hazelnuts on the finish making it a great wine for drinking with classic white pairing dishes. Unctuous and moreish, it also makes a great bottle for gifting at dinner parties if you’re not quite sure what the host is going to be serving.
Looking for more wine advice? Check out Turley Zinfandel ‘Juvenile’ 2018…
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