Robertparker.com | RP 93-94
Published: Jan 18, 2024

Aromas of pear, green apple, white flowers and wet stones introduce the 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, a deep, medium to full-bodied wine that's taut, chiseled and racy, with excellent depth at the core and an abundance of chalky structuring extract. As usual, it derives from the domaine's holdings on the Ladoix side.

The 2022 vintage is another tour de force for Bouchard, as the accompanying tasting notes reflect. Technical director Frédéric Weber reported little in the way of hydric stress, with rapid ripening at the end of the season that saw some parcels accumulate 1.5% potential alcohol in as little as three days. Fortunately, the team hadn't performed any deleafing and were able to apply protective kaolin clay as sunblock for the leaves and fruit to ride out the heat wave. Harvest began on August 26, with anything picked after 11 a.m. left overnight in a cold room for processing the following day, and the harvesters stopping work at 2 p.m.

As I've written before, viticulture chez Bouchard is among the best of the big houses (I drive past their Beaune vineyards several hundred times every year). Organic conversion is underway, and canopies are now hedged to 1.30 meters, around 30 centimeters higher than the classic low rognage that still predominates along the Côte—forward-thinking innovations that will no doubt find imitators in short order among other big players. Vinifications in red increasingly incorporate whole bunches, and whites are barreled down before the end of alcoholic fermentation, with foudres now employed for the second winter of élevage for some cuvées.

Bouchard-pereetfils.com

An attractive story is told about this appellation: Charlemagne was very fond of the wine from Le Corton which, at the time, was red. Towards the end of the Emperor's life, the vineyards facing south were planted with chardonnay, to produce a white wine to avoid staining his white beard. In 1909, Bouchard P?re & Fils acquired 60% of the prestigious vineyard at Le Corton (i.e. 6.93 hectares) which, has the rare particularity of being planted with either pinot noir or chardonnay. Today, Bouchard Pere & Fils is the third most important owner in Corton-Charlemagne, with 3.65 hectares.

TASTING NOTE: Intense fruit and toasted aromas blended with the mineral notes typical of this appellation on the nose. A rich, powerful wine with a strong personality. Very good ageing potential.
FOOD/WINE PAIRING: Fish and shellfish in sauce, foie gras.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: Between 12C to 14C
AGEING POTENTIAL: 7 to 10 years and more

HARVEST: manual, in small cases of 13 kg. Careful manual sorting of each grape.
VINIFICATION: The pressing takes place in two phases: evacuation of the first juice, then pressing in two-hourly cycles.
MATURING: 12 to 13 months in French oak, with up to 15% new oak, depending on the vintage.
AGEING: The cellars located in the Bastions of the ancient Chateau de Beaune offer ideal ambient conditions. Thanks to their natural hygrometry and constant temperatures, the Grands Crus enjoy from their first youth an environment that is perfectly adapted to tranquil ageing.

GRAPE VARIETY: Chardonnay
EXPOSITION: East
SOIL OF THE APPELATION: Limestone and clay, predominantly limestone
TOTAL SURFACE OF THE APPELATION IN PRODUCTION:52.44 hectares
DOMAIN SURFACE IN PRODUCTION: 3.65 hectares