Corton-Charlemagne takes its name from the emperor, who according to legend was persuaded to plant white grapes on his hill so that red wine would stop staining his beard. What grows there now is one of the most powerful and long-lived white wines in France.
Tasting Notes
Complex aromas of citrus fruit, white flowers and a touch of honey, intertwined with subtle notes of toasted almond and flinty minerality. The palate is rich and full bodied, showing ripe pear, lemon zest and a whisper of vanilla, balanced by crisp acidity and a long, refined finish with a hint of salinity. The limestone-rich soils and exceptional exposure of the Corton hill give this wine both its immense power and its capacity to age for decades. It is often closed and austere when young.
Quick Facts
- Grape: 100% Chardonnay
- Origin: France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
- Style: Dry white, Grand Cru, powerful, mineral, very long lived
- Viticulture: Certified organic and biodynamic
- Vineyard: The upper slopes of the Corton hill, on limestone-rich soils with exceptional exposure
Food Pairing
Lobster in butter sauce, roast poultry with cream sauces, seared scallops, and aged cheeses such as Comté or Gruyère.
Serving
Serve at 12 to 14°C, not colder. Will keep and improve for twenty years and more.
About the Producer
Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in Beaune in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin, who had arrived from Chablis at the age of 22. His son Maurice bought the Clos des Mouches in 1921 and began building the family's own vineyard holdings, and Robert Drouhin, who took over in 1957, added parcels in many of Burgundy's greatest grand crus. The house is run today by the fourth generation, Frédéric, Véronique, Philippe and Laurent, from cellars beneath the old town of Beaune dug between the 13th and 18th centuries. Every estate vineyard has been farmed organically and biodynamically since 1993, making Drouhin the largest biodynamic producer in Burgundy.
