Domaine de la Sarazinière "Clos des Bruyeres"
Bourgogne Aligoté, FRANCE | 2023
There is a profound misconception of Aligoté being the lesser quality white varietal of Burgundy, but this bottle of Aligoté doesn’t come from some overlooked corner of a flat co-op vineyard like many of its contemporaries. It comes from the heart of the Mâconnais, in the hands of a family that’s been working the land in Bussières for nearly a century. Domaine de la Sarazinière is now in its fourth generation under Guillaume Trébignaud, who’s taken the reins from his father Philippe and pushed the domaine’s focus even further: low-intervention winemaking, meticulous organic farming, and a deep respect for the character of each individual plot. “Clos des Bruyères” is one of those plots, and it proves something many people still seem to forget - Aligoté can be profound!
"Clos des Bruyeres" opens with a chalky brightness, like wet limestone and lemon pith, and then blossoms into green pear, white flowers, a touch of sea salt and just enough leesy texture to remind you it’s been given time to settle and unfold. This isn’t a race-to-market Aligoté as it’s made with the same care and deliberation as the domaine’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The fruit is hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented, and aged with precision, so what ends up in the glass is a wine that’s pure, tensile, and incredibly expressive.
There’s a throughline in everything the Trébignaud family makes: old vines, modest but serious technique, and a kind of Burgundy-for-the-people ethos that never dumbs the wines down. Philippe was the first in the family to bottle his own wine, but before that, everything went to the négociants, and he did it with counsel from Beaujolais winemaker Marcel Lapierre who encouraged him to pursue organics and trust the fruit. For those who don’t know Lapierre wines, this is a big deal. Guillaume is continuing that work and expanding it. Most of the parcels are limestone-rich and each cuvée is made with a clear eye toward its individual site expression.
If your idea of Aligoté stops at sharp and green, this will rewire your expectations. “Clos des Bruyères” is a wine that punches far above its price point, built on energy and mineral focus, and totally dialed in for people who are chasing freshness without sacrificing soul. It’s the kind of wine that belongs on the table alongside shellfish, salads with goat cheese, and maybe a wedge of aged Comté if you're feeling sassy.