2020 Corton Charlemagne
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a ripe, slightly honeyed bouquet with lime, linden, hints of yellow plum and orange pith aromas that blossom in the glass. This is very well-defined and evolves wonderfully with aeration. The beautifully defined palate offers a creamy veneer of new oak that does not impede upon the terroir. Harmonious with subtle wild peach and marzipan notes toward the finish, this is just a delicious Corton-Charlemagne. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Allen Meadows, Burghound
More reviews and scores
Very complex nose of lemon curd, tangerine and violets. So cool and precise, with excellent concentration, but not a gram of fat on its muscular body, this is a marathon-runner white Burgundy. Intense, chalky minerality is married to restrained creaminess at the dangerously fresh, long finish. From a 3.65-hectare plot at 320 meters altitude on the east-facing side of this site. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
Discreet though easily perceptible wood influence is present on the aromas of green apple, lemon-lime, clove and a less obvious touch of mineral reduction. There is impressive mid-palate density to the bigger-bodied and more powerful flavors that also exude evident minerality on the very dry, balanced and moderately austere finale. While this too could use more depth, the potential aging curve of this wine is sufficiently extended that more complexity is almost a certainty.
About the producer
Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most established wine producers. Founded in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, it is the largest vineyard owner in the Côte d’Or with 130 hectares of vines.