2016 Corton Charlemagne (2025 Release)

The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is off the charts. Vibrant and exceptionally beautiful, the 2016 Charlemagne is a fitting conclusion to this tasting. The Leroy Corton is usually far more austere in the early going, but the 2016 stands out for its extraordinary finesse. My mind goes back to an extraordinary tasting here last year that featured a number of stunning, older whites. The reality is that Leroy's whites start to drink well at age 15-20, an age, where, sadly, many white Burgundies have little to say. The 2016 is a profound Charlemagne endowed with breathtaking beauty and pedigree.

Aromas of citrus oil, beeswax, smoky pear, toasted nuts and an exotic top-note of candied angelica introduce the 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, a full-bodied, searingly concentrated wine that's structured around chewy dry extract more reminiscent of red wine, than white wine. Deep, concentrated and tight-knit, this is a stunning Corton-Charlemagne but it will require extended bottle age to attain its true plenitude of expression.