Bouchard Père & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2018 is a powerful yet refined Pinot Noir from the historic slopes of Corton Grand Cru, Burgundy. Aromas of cassis, wild berries and truffle unfold alongside hints of forest floor and spice. The palate is layered and structured with powdery tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, savoury finish. A distinguished Grand Cru with impressive ageing potential.

The Wine Advocate | RP 93
Published: Oct 15, 2020
Drink: 2025-2050

The 2018 Le Corton Grand Cru has turned out very nicely in bottle, offering up a deep and complex bouquet of cassis, wild berries, grilled meats, black truffle, blood orange and sweet forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, deep and muscular, it's layered and concentrated, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a long, sapid finish. While this is a powerful, structured wine, it's also very refined, and this is one 2018 that will offer a broad drinking window.

James Suckling | JS 93
Published: Nov 5, 2020

A firm, linear red with ripe strawberries and raspberries and some hazelnuts and citrus rind. It’s medium-to full-bodied with lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Tight at the end. Drink after 2022.

Jancis Robinson | JR 17.5
Published: Jan 16, 2020
Drink: 2024-2039

Naughty heavy bottle. Focused, dusty and earthy cranberry fruit. Precise and chiselled palate, with lovely fluidity and a long, floral finish. Likely to be ready earlier, but to give lots of pleasure. Elegant burgundy.

Vivino | Vivino 4.3

A nose of red fruit (cherry, blackcurrant), spice and woody notes which evolve in time towards aromas of truffle, leather and moss. This is nectar which fully justifies the use of the typical Burgundy glass, very wide narrowing in at the top. It finishes with fine grained tannins and the flavors linger.

Bouchard-pereetfils.com

The unique Grand Cru red from the Côte de Beaune, Corton is also the only Grand Cru in the Côte d’Or that is divided into sub-climats.

The first evidence of vineyards in the commune of Aloxe-Corton date back to the 2nd century BC. Later, Corton would become Charlemagne’s favourite wine. In the 19th century, French writer Guy de Maupassant, referenced his hedonistic lifestyle, calling him the roi des bons vivants (king of those who enjoy life) contributing to developing his reputation. The only red Grand Cru in the Côte de Beaune, Corton is also the only Grand Cru in the Côte d’Or to be divided into sub-climats. Le Corton designates the historic plot that gave its name to the corton appellation. Bouchard Père & Fils own 60% of the climat of Le Corton, a unique feature of which is that it can be planted with either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Soil: Pebbly clayey limestone.
Exposure: East
Surface area: 3,55 hectares

Terroir
— A Burgundy Pinot with beautiful acidity, very fresh, very fruity and with a very interesting smoky character. There are slightly more pebbles at the bottom of the vineyard as the rocks have descended, but these are the rocks that allow the grapes to store heat when the weather is good and achieve lovely ripeness.

Expertise
— HARVEST: Manual.  
— VINIFICATION: Following total or partial destalking, depending on the vintage, fermentation in small containers and gentle pressing ensure the best possible vinification. Depending on the profile of the vintage, vatting can range from 15 to 21 days.
— AGEING: 25 to 30% new French oak casks, 16 to 20 months depending on the vintage, with the last 3 to 4 months in casks (large capacity tuns).
— MATURATION: The Bastions cellars of the former Château de Beaune provide ideal ambient conditions. Natural hygrometry and constant temperatures create the perfect environment for this Grand Cru to mature smoothly from an early age.

Tasting
— Opulent bouquet combining notes of red and black fruits and spices with hints of smoke. Full-bodied and rich, it ex- presses itself with distinction. A great, racy wine with excellent ageing potential.
— Winemaker's notes: The climat of Le Corton is unique due to its east-facing location at altitude, where northern winds keep the fruit fresh and where there is little risk of disease, so perfect ripeness can be expected with serenity. The unique nature of the soil on the hillside, a shallow, iron-rich clay soil resting on a compact limestone slab, contributes to the wine’s elegance and floral character, while most Cortons are planted in deeper clay soils, which produce wines of great power. Our Corton is very accessible, even young.