With a lemon-garlic chicken dish, the 2002 Michel Lafarge "Raisins
Dor=E9s" Bourgogne Aligot=E9. Could easily pass for Chardonnay, all apple
butter with a bit of spice, good acidity. One glass with dinner, then
out to do a speech at a college. Come back (3 hours after opening),
this seems more acidic (almost too much) without food. Still, a nice
lively wine. Another glass with some sole on Thursday, however, is very
acidic and almost bitter. Overall I preferred the 2000 and 2001 of
this. On night one, a B/B+.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Dale:

Thanks for the note.

I was considering buying a case based in the fact that: (1) it's
Lafarge and (2) Cathryn and I genuinely like aligote. This is the kind
of wine I often won't get to taste before buying. Dynamics of the
market in Tokyo are such that when you see something you want you need
to buy it then or it may be gone when you go back.

Properly forewarned, I'll try a bottle and take the risk it will all be
gone when (if) I go back.

Jim

Jim,
It's certainly not a bad wine, and I just had the one bottle. I know
Cluade Kolm, whose tastes I respect, really liked it. In general, the
Raisins Dores is less typically Aligote than Lafarge's regular
bottling.

"Jim" > schreef in bericht
ups.com...
> Dale:
>
> Thanks for the note.
>
> I was considering buying a case based in the fact that: (1) it's
> Lafarge and (2) Cathryn and I genuinely like aligote. This is the kind
> of wine I often won't get to taste before buying. Dynamics of the
> market in Tokyo are such that when you see something you want you need
> to buy it then or it may be gone when you go back.
>
> Properly forewarned, I'll try a bottle and take the risk it will all be
> gone when (if) I go back.
>
> Jim
>

hi,
how about japanese wines today?
do you have any tn's from visits at wineries,
there must be dozens of them by now,
capable of making the over 100hl/ha aligote

guess the millions of bottles of bojonouveau
will arrive in Japan next month again.
grtz, m
(often in Volnay&Meursault)

I've not dived into Japanese wines, though I need to do so. Yes, it's
getting close to nouveau hype season.

I agree that overcropped aligote from bad vineyard sites can be a not
too pretty thing. However, from a slightly better site and just a
little yield control, it can be a good value and serve well where a
lighter and more acidic Sauv Blanc or a Muscadet would do well.

Jim

Jim,

may I suggest that you also try a bottle of A. et P. de Villaine 2002
Aligoté? Lovely stuff at a nice price (about 12 euros I think I paid for
it).

S.

Haven't had the 2002, but have liked other vintages. Also think the
Mercurey is very good wine for the money, although I'm sure it's a
little more expensive here in Tokyo than in Europe.

Jim

"Jim" > wrote in news:1128599779.826450.152030
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> Haven't had the 2002, but have liked other vintages. Also think the
> Mercurey is very good wine for the money, although I'm sure it's a
> little more expensive here in Tokyo than in Europe.

I have had two vintages of the Mercurey (2002 and 2003) and enjoyed them
both (the 2002 being superior IMHO). But I have even preferred the Cote
Chalonnaise La Digoine 2002 which I thought was good enough to buy a few
bottles to lay down and experiment a bit.

S.