2019 Corton Charlemagne
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Tasting notes
One of the paler colours, but certainly the most intense bouquet. This was picked later than the others, I have no doubt, but the fruit comes across with a heavenly exuberance. Everything tastes entirely in balance, with excellent acidity to finish. A very different idiom from its neighbours in the flight, yet wonderful and very long indeed. As it warms up the lush power possibly dominates. 14% alcohol.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne is the debut release from vineyards DRC controls through a long-term lease with Bonneau de Martray. It's a gorgeous wine packed with Charlemagne signatures. Lemon peel, white flowers, sage, mint and crushed rocks are all finely knit together, supported by insistent minerality and admirable delineation. I love the energy, precision and cut here. Needless to say, it will be fascinating to see what DRC does here. The 2019 is impressive to be sure, but I have to think that even more will be possible here in the coming years.
AB-S again: ‘A moment in history. This is the first vintage of the Domaine’s Corton-Charlemagne, a tiny 2.9 hectare holding leased in 2018 from Domaine Bonneau du Martray and which lies in the two greatest locations, Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton) and En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses). And what a wine it is. Golden yellow in colour. The nose is quite beautiful with creamily rich but zesty fruit, with an ethereal, haunting mineral stony perfume. The palate is silken on entry, yet lush but the sensuality is refined with a delectable lean grip and fan of freshness and light to the finish. How wonderful to begin this chapter with such a vintage and with such a wine. Ridiculously exciting to see this appellation wearing the Domaine’s label for the first time.’ First vintage. Picked a week later than the neighbours, between 22 and 25 September – quite some nerve! No information about vine age given but the yield was apparently 26 hl/ha (2 hl/ha more than the Domaine’s Montrachet) and 506 cases were produced – considerably more than the 184 cases of Le Montrachet 2019 whose >60-year-old vines were picked on 15 September. Rich nose with some real sweetness on the palate and lovely creamy texture with great finesse and freshness on the finish after grand cru weight of fruit. Lovely chiselled richness. Great purity and definitely worthy of grand cru status – unlike so many wines from this appellation.
The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is the debut release of this new cuvée from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, produced from almost three hectares of vineyards, in the communes of Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses, that have been leased from Bonneau du Martray since November 2018. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, pear and preserved peaches mingled with wheat toast, sesame oil, vanilla pod, beeswax and smoke, it's full-bodied, rich and textural, with a ripe, enveloping core of fruit that's framed by lively acids and chalky structuring extract. Concluding with a long, saline finish, it reflects the domaine's vision for Chardonnay—picked at full maturity, in a powerful, gastronomic style—while remaining more tightly coiled and mineral in style than its Montrachet stablemate.
About the producer
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or simply “DRC” is without doubt the most famous domaine in Burgundy and one of the most famous producers on earth. The Grand Cru vineyard from which it takes its name produces the world’s most expensive wine by a long margin.