2011 Coche-Dury Bourgogne Aligoté

Domaine Coche-Dury in Meursault, Burgundy, is renowned for its Corton-Charlemagne and Meursault-Perrieres. The 26.4 acres estate is owned by Jean-Francois Coche-Dury, who is one of Burgundy’s most respected producers. Vineyards are planted to Chardonnay, Aligote, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Though the estate is known for its white wines, it also makes a small amount of red wine. About 5,000 bottles of the two signature wines are made each year. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that Jean-Francois Coche-Dury “produces some of the region’s longest-lived, most aromatically complex, and compellingly textured white wines.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.