Wine Score
Boisson-Vadot / Anne & Pierre Boisson is a group of Burgundian estates based in Meursault , Burgundy . The wines are produced in collaboration in the cellar of the Boisson family , leading winegrowers in Meursault for more than two centuries. The 10-hectare estate was managed by Bernard Boisson-Vadot until 2016 and his son and daughter, Pierre and Anne Boisson , have taken over since the 2017 vintage. Some wines are bottled under the Boisson-Vadot label , while certain plots of the estate are attributed to Pierre Boisson and Anne Boisson and the wines bear their name.
This Anne Boisson cuvée is made entirely from Aligoté , the vines of which are 60 years old, and grown in the heart of the commune of Meursault. The grapes are sorted in the vineyard and in the cellar before being placed in vats. The wine is aged in oak barrels for between 15 and 18 months
Grape Variety
Aligot
The Aligoté varietal first emerged in the Bourgogne in the 17th century, and is the result of a cross between Gouais Blanc and Pinot Noir. It also shares its origins with Chardonnay.
For a long time, the Aligoté grape suffered from being compared to Chardonnay, despite sometimes being planted alongside it in certain prestigious appellations such as Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet. It flourished on the best hillsides, producing bigger, more plentiful grapes than the Chardonnay varietal.
In 1937, along with the other Bourgogne AOCs, the Aligoté grape received a first sign of recognition, with the creation of the Régionale AOC, Bourgogne Aligoté, which was authorized to be produced right across the Bourgogne.
For the past five years, its reputation has continued to grow. Bourgogne Aligoté is now appreciated by wine lovers for its vivacity and thirst-quenching qualities, and is popular among a hip young clientele.
Burgundy Wine
About 200 million years ago, the region was part of a vast, tropical sea which created limestone soils. These soils are the secret behind the zesty minerality that’s the hallmark of Burgundy wines. In fact, if you venture into the vineyards you can find chunks of limestone or marl (limestone mixed with clay) that contain fascinating fossilized sea creatures mixed within.
The easiest way to wrap your brain around Burgundy is to understand that there are really only two grape varieties to remember Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. Burgundy is not only the original home of these grapes, but the “terroir” (tare-wah) that best expresses their character – elegant, aromatic, complex and highly enjoyable
- Red Burgundy is wine that is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France using 100% Pinot Noir grapes. That’s right, Red Burgundy is just a Pinot Noir.
- White Burgundy is also made in Burgundy, but, since it is white, it is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes.
Burgundy has become known for being the best land in the world for producing both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and it is for this reason that Burgundy wines have received such acclaim. In fact, the quality of the land is considered to be so important to the creation of red and white Burgundy, that inside the Burgundy region, vineyards are classified by four levels, depending on how exceptional it is believed one’s plot of land is for growing the grapes. When buying a bottle of Burgundy, one of these four classifications will be labeled on the bottle:
- Grand Cru – This classification is reserved for the best vineyards. Only about 2 percent of all vineyards in Burgundy receive this classification
- Premier Cru – These wines are produced from vineyards that are still considered to be of stellar quality, but just a small step down from Grand Cru. These vineyards make up about 12 percent of all vineyards in Burgundy and can also produce wines that are quite expensive.
- Village Wines – These are Burgundies that are produced from grapes sourced from several vineyards in 1 of the 42 villages of Burgundy. You will know it’s a Village wine because the name of the village where the grapes were sourced will be labeled on the bottle. These wines represent 36 percent of all Burgundy.
- Regional Wines – Finally, Regional wines are considered to be the lowest level of classification. These are wines that are created from a combination of vineyards from a variety of villages within Burgundy, as opposed to a single village, like Village wines. As such, wines of this classification will simply be labeled as a wine of Bourgone. These wines represent 50 percent of all wines produced in Burgundy.
Burgundy Wine Style
To the ‘vigneron” (winemakers/growers) Burgundy is not only the original home of these grapes, but the terroir that best expresses their character – elegant, aromatic, complex and highly enjoyable. Pinot noir from Burgundy as “Rustic” “Barnyard” or “Forest-floor”
No other wine region in the world is as well-known for its terroir as Burgundy, where vineyards that are metres apart can produce vastly different wines from the same grapes.
