Corton-Charlemagne
Grand Cru 2021
This great white Burgundy from the Côte de Beaune hails from the slopes of the Corton hill.
Origin
This Grand Cru appellation exists only in white and covers a surface area of 71.87 ha of which 48.57 ha of vines are located in Aloxe-Corton, 17.25 ha in Pernand-Vergelesses and 6.5 ha in Ladoix-Serrigny. The soil is clayey with marls at the upper part of the slope.
The emperor Charlemagne gave these vines to the collegiate church of Saint-Andoche in Saulieu in 775 to whom they belonged for the next thousand years. With a name that still celebrates the memory of the emperor, Corton-Charlemagne includes the Charlemagne and En Charlemagne vineyards as well as a few neighbouring single vineyards (the Grand Cru AOC dates back to 31 July 1937).
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: marly, rich in clay with some limestone areas.
Exposition: South.
Pruning: Guyot system.
Average age of the vines: 41 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 27 September 2021.
The grapes were handpicked.
At the winery: the whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: 17 months in 228L barrels, without racking, no stirring to accentuate the mineral character of the wine. A proportion of 50% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: the wine was bentonite fined and very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in March 23, 2023.
Number of bottles: 471.
Vintage
A complex vintage!
It is both a winegrower and winemaker’s vintage ! 2021 will unfortunately be remembered quantity-wise for a long time by its disastrous frost early april. Direct consequence: this is probably one of the smallest vintages ever in Burgundy . It offers a very nice and subtle representation of each terroir and its expression, with fruity, freshness and great finesse wines.
Ageing potential: 7 years and more.
Awards
Guide Vert - Revue des Vins de France 2024 - 93/100
James Suckling, MW - 96 points
Jancis Robinson MW - 17.5+ / 20
Tim Atkin - 94/100
Tasting notes
With a beautiful pale yellow color with white reflections, this wine reveals intense aromas of lemons, yellow fruits and spicy notes. The palate reveals a smooth, buttery texture and a nice salinity on the finish.
