Bouzeron – one of the five appellations in the Côte Chalonnaise – covers just over 50 hectares and is the closest, geographically-speaking, to the prestigious names of the Côte-d'Or. The appellation was decreed on the 17th February 1998, replacing the old regional appellation, Bourgogne Aligoté Bouzeron. Within the appellation there are just two communes in production: Bouzeron and Chassey-le-Camp. The entire appellation is dedicated to Aligoté – the grape which secured its reputation – so only white wines are produced. Elsewhere in Burgundy, Aligoté can only be produced in the appellation Bourgogne-Aligoté.
Bouzeron is cultivated exclusively on the higher hillsides, where soils are composed of calcareous white marl; vines are pruned into a goblet shape to enable better yields and ultimately produce a wine which perfectly expresses its unique terroir. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown at the foot of the hills and these wines are sold under the AOC Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise.
Aligoté (6% of the Burgundian vine population) is a historic varietal in Burgundy. It is a fairly rigorous white grape, producing slightly larger and more abundant fruit than a Chardonnay. Aligoté growing in Bouzeron is said to be golden – the skin is thinner than traditional Aligoté grapes grown elsewhere in Burgundy, giving them a golden hue as they ripen – and at maturation, it strikes a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity.