2020 Corton Charlemagne

As I wrote earlier this year, Bonneau du Martray's 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with aromas of crisp Anjou pear, peach and nectarine mingled with white flowers, clear honey, nutmeg, mint and fresh bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's bright and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core and a long, saline finish. Seamless, intense and complete, this elegant, precise white Burgundy is built for the cellar.

The 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was bottled in May 2022. It has a light bouquet at first, gaining intensity with time, scents of beeswax, chalk and touches of Mirabelle. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. Quite tensile, backward and fine salinity. There is a pleasant residual spiciness here that comes through on the finish. The remainder of barrel maturation will lend more depth and weight and it will benefit from 3-5 years in bottle.

The analysis looks perfectly balanced at 13.35% alcohol and pH 3.15. This has been racked but not sulphured since the harvest. Primrose colour, the nose shows a little heaviness and needs freshening up soon with a sulphur adjustment. The nose suggests yellow fruit and a certain thickness of texture. Ripe to baked apple notes. The palate however shows wonderful potential with excellent grip due in part to a little youthful bitterness. Still the apple theme but more important to consider the intensity and the structure. Also the length is what it should be. I have to be cautious given the current stage of development.