ALOXE CORTON

Localization : Côte de Beaune
Total vineyard area : 297.1 ha. of which 37.5 ha. Premier Cru and 169.6 ha. Grand Cru
Varieties and types of wine :
pinot noir for the red wines
chardonnay for the white wines
Classification : Villages, Premier Cru and Grand Cru

Premier Cru "Climats" :

Corton : With 3.67 ha. of Corton, Bouchard Père & Fils owns 2% of the "Appellation" on a piece of land which bears the same name : Le Corton. On the sunniest side of the Corton mountain, this stony ground, rich in clay and chalk, has all the qualities needed to produce magnificent rich, concentrated grapes typical of this Grand Cru. Its fame started in the 19th century when Guy de Maupassant, the famous French poet, largely contributed to its reputation by calling it the "roi des bons vivants" in one of his most famous works : Bel ami.

The Bouchard Père & Fils land is half way up the slope and produces wines with a bouquet of red fruit (cherry, blackcurrant), spice and woody notes evolving with time towards aromas of truffle, leather, and moss.

This nectar fully justifies the typical Burgundy glass, very wide, coming in at the top, and sometimes the glass is not big enough for the size of this wine !

Corton Charlemagne : During the 19th century, Bouchard Père & Fils acquired 60% of "Le Corton", i.e. 6.93 hectares in all. Today it is the third biggest proprietor in Corton-Charlemagne with 3.25 hectares

The Bouchard Père & Fils Grand Cru de Corton-Charlemagne is quite specific : it is the only Great White Wine produced in "Le Corton" which can be planted in either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

An attractive legend is associated with this "Appellation" : the Emperor Charlemagne was very fond of this Grand Cru which, at the time, was only planted with Pinot Noir. Towards the end of the emperor's life, the vineyards facing south were planted with Chardonnay. The king's hand was not as steady and from time to time he spilt the precious nectar on his white beard. This annoyed his wife to such an extent that she demanded that white grapes be planted on part of the hill so that no trace would be seen on his beard.

Very smooth and more feminine than the Grands Crus produced in "En Charlemagne" and "Le Charlemagne" which are characterized by a note of flint which makes them almost harsh when young, the Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne has a strong personality : intense nose, remarkably mellow, enhanced by pleasant acidity. A concentrated wine with exemplary length on the palate.

Considered as the historic centre of the Corton and Corton Charlemagne "Appellations", the first traces of vineyards in Aloxe Corton go back to the 2nd century B.C. It was in 1862 that the Village of Aloxe added the Grand Cru Corton to its name.

The ground is mainly chalk where red wines are produced and marl in the places given over to white wines, on a sub-soil of hard rock and lava.

Bouchard Père et Fils harvests and makes about 2 500 bottles of Aloxe Corton Villages per year, owning 0.45 ha. in this "Appellation". The Bouchard Père & Fils Domaine Aloxe Corton usually has a bouquet of berries and fruit. A compromise of character between the strength of the Côte des Nuits and the elegance of its origin on the Côte de Beaune, it offers good ageing potential.

Photographic credit : Dominique Pernin