Wine Grape: Aligoté
Burgundy's other white wine grape, after Chardonnay, and a member of the Pinot family. Frequently relatively acidic, sweet crème de cassis is often added to it to make the cocktail Kir.
The popular aperitif Kir is named after the World War II French Resistance hero and Mayor of Dijon, Cannon Félix Kir, who served the drink at town hall events, successfully promoting local products. In the 19th century, Kir was made with Aligoté-based wines with a little bit of Crème de Cassis and went by the names vin blanc cassis or blanc-cass.
Synonyms
Also known as Aligotay, Griset Blanc, Plant Gris, Plant de Trois Raisins, Plant de Trois, Blanc de Troyes, Troyen Blanc, Chaudenet Gras, Vert Blanc,
Where
France: Burgundy, Rhône
Also: Bulgaria, California, Chile, Romania, Russia, Ukraine
Principal Wines
France: Beaujolais: Coteaux-du-Lyonnais AOC; Burgundy: Bourgogne Aligoté AOC, Bouzeron AOC; Rhône: Châtillon-en-Diois
Characteristics
Color: Bright pale yellow
Nose: Fruity (apple, lemon)
Palate: Light bodied, relatively acidic
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