Julien Altaber, ‘Po à Po’ (2023)
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Burgundy, France— Skin-contact Aligoté sourced from a 60-year-old vineyard in the Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy. Crafted by Julien Altaber of Sextant, this unfiltered orange undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and is aged in used oak barrels for 8 months. It offers a complex profile with aromas hazy of citrus, green apple, and wet stone, complemented by a rounded, textural mouthfeel and a mineral finish. No S02.
Born in the Auvergne region and raised in southern Burgundy, Julien Altaber's path began with childhood summers spent among cattle and tractors, instilling a deep connection to agricultural life. After secondary school, farming seemed the natural choice, but the realities of peasant agriculture led him toward the vineyards of the Mâconnais region.
At 16, Altaber's first winemaking internship proved transformative—the harvest, fermentation, and wine world captivated him completely. Following experiences across Mâconnais and Beaujolais, he spent two years at a Beaune trading house in 2000 before joining Dominique Derain's organic estate in Saint-Aubin in 2002.
Under Derain's mentorship, Altaber discovered organic farming, biodynamics, and natural winemaking while mastering every aspect of production. In 2007, encouraged by Dominique, he purchased his first Pinot Noir grapes, launching SEXTANT wines using borrowed facilities. By 2010, he acquired his first vineyard plot, expanded in 2013 with a winery in Saint-Aubin and plots in Pommard, and planted an additional half-hectare in 2015.