Winemaker Notes
Chandon de Briailles chardonnay is planted in areas dominated by Pinot Noir; two thirds comes from the Bressandes vineyard and one third from Chaumes. An unusual chardonnay coming mainly from pinot noir soils, it’s quite rich, evoking yellow fruits such as peach and apricot and a touch of honey.
Professional Ratings
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Jasper Morris
This was late to finish fermenting, but in tasteable condition. It has been made in one new Stockinger foudre of 10hl, the rest in normal sized older wood. Still full of primary aromatics, lactic too, just a question of the moment. It feels like a heavyweight behind. Decent weight to this, and a fresh thread through the middle. This should be good in its red soil way. Good decision to pick early, end August.
Range: 92-95 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Corton Grand Cru Blanc reveals aromas of waxy orchard fruit, citrus rind, toasted almond and white flowers. Layered and full-bodied, it's rich and concentrated, with a textural but incisive profile and a long, tangy finish.
Range: 92-94
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Prevailing over the charming village of Aloxe, the hill of Corton actually commands the entire appellation. Corton is the only Grand Cru for Pinot Noir in the entire Côte de Beaune. Its Grand Crus red wines can be described simply as “Corton” or Corton hyphenated with other names. These vineyards cover the southeast face of the hill of Corton where soils are rich in red chalk, clay and marl.
Dense and austere when young, the best Corton Pinot Noir will peak in complexity and flavor after about a decade, offering some of the best rewards in cellaring among Côte de Beaune reds. Pommard and Volnay offer similar potential.
The great whites of the village are made within Corton-Charlemagne, a cooler, narrow band of vineyards at the top of the hill that descends west towards the village of Pernand-Vergelesses. Here the thin and white stony soils produce Chardonnay of exceptional character, power and finesse. A minimum of five years in bottle is suggested but some can be amazing long after. Fully half of Aloxe-Corton is considered Grand Cru.