Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The elegant, ethereal strawberry and pomegranate fruit aromas of the Corton Marechaudes waft from glass with notes of spice and lavender. The texture is fresh and surprisingly firm, but there is nothing heavy about this Corton. The grapes come from a 0.28-hectare parcel of southeast-facing vines in Aloxe that were little affected by the frost. This terroir centered on a terrace at the base of the slope has delivered a wine that is forward and accessible, which should drink well with just a bit of time in the cellar.
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Wine Spectator
This red jumps from the glass with exuberance, delivering cherry, floral, sandalwood and barnyard aromas. This tightens up, offering a compact finish, even if subtly persistent, with a chocolate accent. Best from 2026 through 2033. 25 cases made, 16 cases imported.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
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.