I love pasta dishes and have posted many on Instagram. But tonight, I took some quality spaghetti, a simple jar of pasta sauce, and some fresh frozen shrimp and it was great. A quality protein – whether its a meatball or some fresh shrimp – can turn these two other simple ingredients into something delicious and even special.

Same goes for the wine. I love White Burgundy (Chardonnay) but the really good stuff is quite expensive. The other White of Burgundy is Aligote. It’s smooth and flavorful and a wonderful wine.

A friend, a server at a downtown high-end Indy restaurant, recently brought me a bottle of Aligote that was part of a distributor tasting. If you find Aligote at your local wine shop, you’ll probably pay $20-$35. I looked up this bottle and found retail ranging from $38 to $54. The website has a retail price of $55. What immediately caught me eye was producer Remi Jobard is based in Mersault, a true premier region for White Burgundy.

The Jobard wine comes from 40-year-old vines and is mostly aged and finished in stainless steel. Some old oak is also used. The grapes come mostly from Macon with some from Pulgny-Montrachet. So the wine has an obvious pedigree.

The wine is full bodied and this one was super smooth. A great bottle of wine that would pair with anything. Aligote is affordable. Look for it at your favorite wine shop.