Folk Machine Aligote Vecino Vineyard 2023

Two fun facts about this wine. First, I don’t like Aligote. Well, it's not that I don’t like Aligote, it's just that often where Aligote grows, Chardonnay grows just as well. And I love Chardonnay so much that I just can’t see the point of Aligote. That, and nobody—including French people—pronounces Aligote the same way. 

Just as I love Chardonnay, I love Kenny Likitprakong, the owner and winemaker at Folk Machine. The unfortunate thing is, my enjoyment of these two things has never come together. In my humble opinion, Kenny doesn’t make Chardonnay that I find pleasurable to drink. But  lo and behold, betwixt and between, I find Kenny’s Aligote to be magnificent—so magnificent, that it scratches my (enormous) white Burgundy itch.

This wine is fresh and expressive, showing citrus blossom, green apple, Meyer lemon zest, and a touch of under ripe peach. There are secondary notes of wet stone, crushed herbs (like lemon balm), and a faint hint of almond. Lively and zippy on entry with crisp acidity. Flavors mirror the nose—lime, Granny Smith apple, and white peach—with a saline edge and chalky minerality. Light- to medium-bodied, it has a clean, linear profile. A touch of creaminess rounds out the long mineral finish.