Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote
Wine: Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote
Grapes: Aligote (90 percent), chardonnay (10 percent)
Region: Burgundy, France
Vintage: 2005
Price: $19.99
In the glass: Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote is a light lemon-yellow in color with a clean, crisp, bright look to the core, going out into a fine, clean, clear rim definition with medium viscosity.
On the nose: It brims with citrus-laced minerals, wet limestone, green apple skins, fresh crushed rhubarb stalks, lemongrass, bright white fruit and some notes of Bosc pears on top of that nice classic stony fruit.
On the palate: There are zippy citrusy and zesty notes of kaffir lime and white currants, then freshly crushed green apples, then medium-high acidity and powerful mineral elements with stony white fruit and again some pears. There appears to be no trace of wood on this wine, and the finish has great pitch and balance, going into a long after-mouth.
Odds and ends: Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote comes to us courtesy of one of the current superstar producers in Burgundy, France, and is made in the exact same winery as some very heavy-hitting chardonnay-based wines from this home region of this grape varietal. The French love drinking these not-made-for-aging wines, because they are fresh and pleasing when the temperatures start rising. It is meant to be enjoyed now through this year, and preferably chilled to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve it with sauteed shrimp or stone crab claws.
Gil Lempert-Schwarz's wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89016-0749, or e-mail him at gil@winevegas.com.
