Aligoté is a rubbish grape – correct? That is a point of view to which I largely subscribed for many years, until I had the chance to taste and drink numerous examples more recently. As with everything Burgundian the mantra when searching for good Aligoté is: ‘Producer, Producer, Producer.’ (Just like the equivalent phrase from the property world.) Two of the best are Bernard Moreau and Marc Morey and I have never failed to be satisfied with the wines they produce from this humble grape.

These men take great pride in their Aligoté and make it with the sort of care and attention to detail that you might imagine they reserve only for their grander wines. The word ‘pride’ is the key here. Though neither of them has said so to me in so many words, the implicit suggestion is that if you are lucky enough to own a patch of exalted vineyard then you should be able to make good wine from it. Wresting clean and attractive flavours from the more lowly Aligoté, however, takes real skill.

The benefit for consumers is twofold: (A) you can get a decent glass at an attractive price and (B) for not much outlay at all you are afforded an opportunity to assess the wine of a producer before deciding to take the plunge and buy one of his more exalted wines. What do you get for your money? That question is probably best answered by saying what you don’t get. The wine will not be deep and profound, with great length of flavour. Nor will you be tempted to pen a sonnet after a glass. But it will be tasty, fresh and clean – and perfect with a summer salad taken in a sunny garden. (Sadly, sun not included.)

Tags: Aligoté, Burgundy, Moreau