2012 Corton Charlemagne

Raphel Coche told me that the 2012 Corton Charlemagne was the only vineyard that escaped hail damage this year. It has a very succinct nose, not predisposed to go out and grab you by the lapels. The aromatics unfurl with a sense of ease prioritizing finesse over power: beeswax, linden, lemon thyme and fresh pear. The palate is exquisitely balanced with fleeting glimpses of Seville orange and apricot. But there is more about the tension, the effortlessness and that it just rolls out across the finish like a huge Turkish rug. This is the kind of wine that exhausts superlatives.

Just six pièces from east-facing vineyards. Not yet on sale – the 2009 was sold this year. Mushroom aromas. Crème de morels. Very youthful and tight. Raphael thinks it’s more concentrated than the rest because this vineyard wasn’t hailed. More energy. Long. (JR)