Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru

One of the great white wines of the world, Corton Charlemagne has the ability to be enjoyed young while still having the capability to age for decades.

 It can have all the power of a Montrachet, but at its best will possess a minerality and a laser-like precision that provides great length.

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Characteristics of the vintage

Nature smiled generously on us for the 2022 vintage, producing wines of quality and abundance.  Yields were ample for both reds and whites, as we enjoyed seeing full vats and tanks of both Pinot and Chardonnay.    Frost events occurred in April but we avoided any damage of consequence.  A later-than-usual bud burst helped with that pressure, due in part to new pruning techniques which delay tripening.  Summer-like weather in April and early May saw the vines racing ahead and our vineyard team worked hard to keep up.  Flowering was the end of May under largely excellent conditions.  100 mm of rain the last half of June provided significant reserves for the vines to survive that heat and dry conditions of the following six weeks, which saw only about 25 mm of rain and peak temperatures routinely between 30 and 35 degrees C.  We began picking on 25 August and finished on the 31st of the month.  Sugars were remarkably homogenous with hardly any variation around 12.5 %.  pH’s were practically textbook with a tight range among the cuvées.  Fermentation was long and steady for the reds with most being devatted at close to 21 days.   Malos for the whites progressed orderly from primary fermentation but reds were rather variable with some not finishing before summer.  In the end, the vintage produced wines of exceptional balance and a depth of fruit of remarkable purity.  One can’t help but think of the 1999 vintage for a comparison, which was equally generous in quantity and quality, although the quality of the whites may more closely resemble those of 2002.

Vineyard

The vineyard itself is nearly 72 hectares and our portion is 0.30 hectares of 45 year old vines on the Pernand-Vergelesses side facing west, with a high proportion of limestone and marl. 

A beautiful golden color leads to exotic aromas of citrus, pear and peach.   The full rich body possesses a stony minerality that leads to a very long finish.

Service

Ideally served at 12 C/54 F, this is a white wine that has the structure to work well with well-seasoned fish including sea bass, halibut, scallops, snails and mussels, as well as with and rich cheeses, including Saint Andre, Ementaller, Delice de Bourgogne, and Comte.