Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand Vin de Table Français A... Naudin 007
24,60€; unchaptalized and only 11% abv; if I understood correctly, there is only a little sulfur added (free sulfur 12mg/l; total sulfur 20mg/l); 753 bottles produced from the lieu-dit "En Vallerot" from 105yo vines (planted in 1902). A VdT for some reason I haven't yet managed to figure, but it shows the vintage as 007 on the front label and the grape Aligoté as an acrostic poem on the back label.
About a year ago I tried this at the importer's tasting and I must confess I got it all wrong back then. In that hurried atmosphere I felt it was a bit oaky and that the relevant aromas overwhelmed whatever else was in the wine. I am glad I was persuaded to buy a bottle now that this rare wine is available, as my view now is completely different. There are no oak aromas at all (and if I understood the French on the producer's website, this doesn't see any), Instead it shows a strong, leesy character, lovely citrus and minerality. Quite full body for Aligoté, deliciously high acidity, I don't want to lift my nose from the glass and I don't want to stop sipping this; unbelievably moreish (thankfully it is only 11% abv, so the massive headache tomorrow is hopefully averted). Perfection, perhaps?