2020 Le Corton
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Le Corton Grand Cru has an open-knit bouquet, possibly with some stem addition, slightly tertiary red fruit with a light loamy element that emerges with time in the glass. This has real complexity and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and dark berry fruit laced with tea leaf and black pepper, exhibiting more grip than some of its peers towards the finish without any of that vintage's heat. This is a serious Corton, though it should age well in bottle. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
East exposure up at 280 m in the historical location of the grand cru. Red soil rich in iron and clay. Rare, hard and chalky too. Yield was less than 20 hl/ha in 2020. Classically, people think Corton is strong but Weber thinks that’s not true of this limestone-rich soil which gives more elegance. This site can be picked relatively late. Coolness of the site means less hydric stress. 30–35% whole bunch. Weber thinks it will drink well at five years or much longer in this site. Bright mid crimson with a pale rim. Slightly vegy top note on very sweet, bitter-cherry palate. Something a tad reduced about this sample, which is less opulent, sweet and engaging than one might have expected. Weber's elegance? (JR)
The 2020 Le Corton Grand Cru is a worthy successor to the striking 2019 (which I probably underrated last year). Soaring from the glass with aromas of rose petals, orange rind, raspberries, rich soil tones and cinnamon, it's full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with a deep and layered core of fruit, vibrant acids and fine, melting tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This emblematic cuvée has always been a solid bottling chez Bouchard, but in the last few years it seems to have attained a whole new level of quality. When I asked Frédéric Weber what might account for this shift, he explained that he picks later and includes more whole bunches in the vinification. Whatever the reason, readers are advised to take note, as I don't think the market has yet factored in quite how good this wine is.
About the producer
Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most established wine producers. Founded in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, it is the largest vineyard owner in the Côte d’Or with 130 hectares of vines.