2010 Corton Charlemagne
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Tasting notes
(this and the rest of Girardin's grand crus were bottled in late April, fined and lightly filtered): Pale, bright yellow. Crushed stone, lime blossom and saline minerality on the nose, complicated by ineffable high notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. At once dense and weightless, with powerful acidity giving the wine outstanding cut but completely shutting down the middle palate today. This powerfully stony expression of the cru stains the palate on the long, rising, perfumed aftertaste. Don't even think about pouring this until about 2020.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne wraps around the palate with rich, expressive layers of fruit. This is an especially radiant style of Corton-Charlemagne endowed with considerable textural depth and polish. Attractive hints of butter, smoke, slate, mint and white flowers add complexity on the finish. This is a rare Corton-Charlemagne that will drink well with minimum cellaring, although there is more than enough vibrancy to make me think it will also hold up quite well. The Corton is a fairly large cuvée for the house, and is made from a blend of parcels in Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Ladoix-Serrigny.
The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne wraps around the palate with rich, expressive layers of fruit. This is an especially radiant style of Corton-Charlemagne endowed with considerable textural depth and polish. Attractive hints of butter, smoke, slate, mint and white flowers add complexity on the finish. This is a rare Corton-Charlemagne that will drink well with minimum cellaring, although there is more than enough vibrancy to make me think it will also hold up quite well. The Corton is a fairly large cuvee for the house, and is made from a blend of parcels in Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Ladoix-Serrigny. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Vincent Girardin recently sold his operation to Compagnie des Vins d’Autrefois, which previously had an ownership stake in the company. As part of the transaction, Girardin keeps eight hectares of vineyards, from which he will continue to supply the house. I am told that all the other fruit contracts remain in place, ensuring continuity in the maison’s range. Long-time winemaker Eric Germain, who has worked alongside Girardin for ten years, remains at the helm. So far, it looks like a little has changed, but it is early days so we will see. Germain told me the 2010s were harvested beginning on September 5. The premier and grand crus spent 18 months in oak (20% new), followed by two months in steel before being bottled in April and May 2012. As I wrote last year, the Girardin wines have undergone a pretty dramatic stylistic shift over the last few years. Today, the wines are made in a brighter, more focused style with less of the overt richness and oak influence the winemaking team believes was contributing to the premature evolution of the wines. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
Lovely refinement on the nose. Mineral, a gentle whiff of oak. A little more oaky on the palate but balanced by bright zesty citrus. Dancing, scented and persistent.