2008 Corton Grand Cru

First one corked. Very lifted and polished on the nose, then a bit austere on the palate. Certainly true to the vintage but hard work. You can admire its truth but it’s a bit of an uncomfortable truth. Fine chewiness on the end. Even a little green. Wait! (JR)

Mid crimson. Racked once and after 12 months (as opposed to longer in the old days to retain fruit and smooth tannins) put into stainless steel and probably bottled spring 2010. Very vibrant nose. They are converting to organic farming, entirely for farming rather than marketing purposes. ‘What we were concerned about was the condition of our soil’. Fresh damson juice. Very Côte de Beaune! Gentle and really quite soft. Tannins only on the very end. A little bit lacking real energy in the middle. Pretty marked acidity. I suspect this will be one of those wines about which people say, eventually, it’s really rather nice! But it will never be a superstar. (JR)

The 2008 Corton is gracious and impeccable from start to finish. It is every bit as impressive as the 2009, even if radically different in style. The 2008 emphasizes the perfume of its fruit along with a sensual, beguiling personality. The gorgeous finish is layered with hard candy and liqueur-like notes that add sweetness and an air of sophistication. This is an exceptionally elegant wine from Bonneau de Martray. The harvest in 2008 began on the 30th of September, a full three weeks later than in 2009. Yields were also quite a bit lower than in 2009 because of the irregular flowering. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033. ||Bonneau de Martray is an excellent source for both white and red Corton. The estate is currently in the midst of conversion to biologic farming. The red Corton is not imported into the US, but is available elsewhere. Even in 2009 the style tends towards elegance rather than power. According to proprietor Jean-Charles la Bault de la Moriniere, much of that can be attributed to the exposure of his vineyards, which receive a lot of light but not as much heat. The Pinot Noir harvest began on September 9th. The estate vinified the Pinot (100% destemmed) in two cuves, which saw 19 and 22 days of maceration respectively. Malos started in May 2010 and ended in August, and the wine was racked into steel in the fall to settle prior to bottling. Readers will find notes on the estate’s 2009 and 2008 Corton-Charlemagne on www.erobertparker.com||A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191 Wine Advocate.September, 2011