Critic ratings
vinous
2000
Rating:
92
–92
The purity of the nose is stunning with simply gorgeous and fine aromas of green apples, melon and a hint of apricot plus obvious minerality and there is a certain resemblance here to a great grand cru Chablis. The flavors offer a unique texture of opulence, finesse and an incredible stoniness that is focused like a laser beam. There is exceptionally good harmony here as the balance is impeccable. This is a stunner for terroir freaks as this is a reference standard example of classic Corton-Charlemagne. In short, this is class in a glass.
vinous
2015
Rating:
95
–95
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a powerful, dense wine. It possesses tremendous richness and tons of intensity. Radiance and phenolic intensity are two of the signatures. That's about all I can tell you, as the 2015 is nowhere near ready to drink. It does have tremendous potential though, that is clear.
vinous
2015
Rating:
92
–92
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a slightly muffled, rather anonymous bouquet that requires a little more clarity. The palate is taut and crisp on the entry and the acidity nicely judged, although it needs more persistence toward the saline finish. Not bad and it seems to improve, gaining more refinement with aeration. There is complexity here, but this clearly needs several years in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
vinous
2015
Rating:
95
–95
Light straw-yellow. Deep, soil-inflected aromas and flavors of white stone fruits, clove, hazelnut, marzipan, white pepper, smoke and minerals, with a note of orange bitters emerging after extended aeration. Wonderfully rich, silky and mouthfilling but not at all heavy, showing considerable baby fat for young Corton-Charlemagne but with a powerful stony underpinning. Seriously rich, ageworthy wine with a touch of dusty tannins and palate-saturating breadth and salty length. This wine is seriously satisfying right now but should undergo dramatic transformation over the years as it burns off some of its baby fat, which it started to do with 72 hours in the recorked bottle. A star of the vintage, showing no sign of heat or blurriness and communicating a very strong if fully ripe impression of terroir.
vinous
1993
Rating:
92
–92
The 1993 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a very pretty, fully mature white Burgundy. Candied apricot, orange peel, hazelnut and honeyed notes are all signatures of a wine that is peaking. The 1993 has retained terrific freshness, especially considering the modest quality of the year and ripening that was less than ideal because of rain during harvest. Its soft curves are especially appealing.
vinous
2007
Rating:
94
–94
Tasted from magnum when Bruno Borie decided a white was needed, the 2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru showed quite brilliantly. It has an intoxicating nose of white peach, vervain tea, almond and crushed stone, quite vigorous considering that it is already 14 years old. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine line of acidity, broad and weighty in the mouth, and very pure, with an almost creamy texture toward the finish. Magnums of Bonneau du Martray have an unerring tendency to outperform their half-size counterparts, and that is the case here. Tasted at Ducru-Beaucaillou.
vinous
2007
Rating:
92
–92
Pale yellow. Complex nose melds lemon, lime, apple, flowers, powdered stone and sexy fresh herbs. Silky on entry, then quite firm in the middle, with the crushed stone element initially dominating underlying fruit. With aeration, this showed a richer texture and emerging citrus fruit and floral qualities. There's a slightly saline quality here and a firm spine but the wine avoids coming off as hard or rough. Still, its classically dry finish, with flavors of pineapple and crushed stone, give it a youthful austerity. This was bottled in the spring of 2009, and I would not be surprised if it went into a shell in the next 6 to 12 months.
robert_parker
2021
Rating:
93
–95
Cropped at a mere eight hectoliters per hectare after being hit by the April frosts and then challenged by severe disease pressure, the 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has nevertheless turned out beautifully, offering up aromas of tangerine oil, crisp stone fruit, clear honey, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with terrific depth at the core, tangy acids and a precise, saline finish, it will only gain with further élevage.
robert_parker
2020
Rating:
97
–97
Bottled in May 2022, 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.
robert_parker
2019
Rating:
95
–97
The approximate blend of the 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is very promising, offering up notes of orange oil, white flowers, nutmeg and pear, followed by a full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that's lively and elegantly textural, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. This is a very promising effort from the Domaine Bonneau du Martray team, and I look forward to revisiting the wine in bottle.
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
94
–94
Revisited from bottle, the 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, fresh bread, orange oil and nutmeg. Medium to full-bodied, layered and elegantly satiny, it's deep and saline, concluding with fine grip on the finish. In this charming, demonstrative vintage, Bonneau du Martray has succeeded in producing a serious, age-worthy wine.
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
92
–95
I tasted multiple components that will make up the final blend of the 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru to write a composite tasting note. Exhibiting aromas of orange oil, pear, spices and hazelnuts, the wine is full-bodied, ample and textural but controlled. Still in some instances clouded by suspended sediment, this Corton-Charlemagne is far from being fully formed, so this shouldn't be considered by any means a definitive note, but the raw materials certainly appear promising.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
93
–95
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is very promising indeed, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe citrus, crisp orchard fruit, blanched almonds, pastry cream and spring flowers. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with excellent concentration, a bright line of animating acidity and a sense of completeness that distinguishes it as a special vintage for the domaine. Its new oak is already better integrated at this early stage than was the case at this estate a few years ago.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
96
–96
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing superbly from bottle, wafting from the glass with a complex and beautifully integrated bouquet of pear, citrus oil, toasted sesame, warm bread, oyster shell and white flowers. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a racy spine of acidity and superb concentration without weight, followed by a long, defined finish. Surpassing the high expectations I formed a year ago, this would appear to be the finest wine produced at Bonneau du Martray for over a decade.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
90
–92
The 2016 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, matured in 30% new oak, has moderate intensity on the nose, scents of citrus peel, beeswax and honeysuckle, a hint of jasmine. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh lime, green apple, a dab of spice that hits the back palate and lingers on the aftertaste. Moderate length. It just misses the sustain toward the finish and hurries out of the exit a little swiftly. The irony is that as I mentioned in my introduction, some of the single-parcel barrel samples I was permitted to taste were in fact better than the blend, simply because they sang more of what Corton-Charlemagne ought to be. It is not a bad Corton-Charlemagne and yet it left me wanting more.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
94
–94
The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing superbly from bottle, unwinding in the glass with a classy bouquet of crisp green apple, pears, almond paste, fresh pastry and Meyer lemon. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and precise, with serious depth, tangy acidity, and chewy structuring dry extract while remaining elegantly textural. Intense and complete, it's an immensely promising wine which augers well for Bonneau du Martray's future.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
90
–92
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a very pretty, quite seductive bouquet with disarming scents of lemon curd, white peach and Mirabelle, well defined and the oak neatly integrated. The palate is very well balanced with very good weight in the mouth, a lightly brush of honey, praline, hints of almond and a touch of sea salt towards the finish. I appreciate the subtle mineralité here that flourishes as this Corton-Charlemagne opens with aeration.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
93
–93
The 2015 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray reveals a youthful nose of citrus zest, white flowers, tart pineapple and struck flint, framed by some spicy new oak. On the palate, this full-bodied wine reveals tension and definition that it seemed to miss in barrel, its glossy attack now backed by a nicely chalky structure and a deep, properly reserved core. This will need some time in the bottle to integrate, but its evolution is very promising, and while this is unusually rich and concentrated those qualities don't come at the expense of terroir.
robert_parker
2013
Rating:
90
–92
The 2013 Corton-Charlemagne was decimated by hail that reduced the crop by 70%. What survived was raised in one-third new oak, as has been the policy over 40 years when Charles's father made the wine. Allowing the grand cru to open over ten minutes (while discussing the travails of Burgundy with Charles) it opens to reveal a clean and pure, somehow "nonchalant" bouquet with peach skin and lime flower that is nicely defined and entwined with the oak. There is a spicy, lemongrass note just on the tip of the tongue on the finish, although at this stage I feel that the 2012 had more complexity and persistence. Let's see if it puts on more weight by the time of bottling.
robert_parker
2013
Rating:
91
–91
The 2013 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru has a very pretty bouquet, backward of course, but opening with hints of white peach and white flowers, the oak succinctly integrated. The palate is crisp and taut with a keen line of acidity, quite saline (like the 2014) with hints of ginger and spice furnishing the finish. This is a very fine Corton-Charlemagne, even if I suspect the 2012 will ultimately prove to have the upper hand.
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
93
–95
The sample of 2012 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was taken from tank. It had been racked in September and was resting on the fine lees and will be racked again in January. The malolactics were delayed and only finished towards the end of August. It has a very subtle bouquet with hints of chalk, gunflint and citrus fruits – almost Chablis-like in terms of delineation and personality. The palate has a marine-influence on the entry, traces of seaweed, plus a tingle of zesty fruit on the side of the mouth. It is tender and airy towards the finish with traces of lemon sherbet lingering long after the wine has departed. The red grand cru is no longer distributed into the United States since the previous importer declined their allocation. Not the greatest business decision since Jean-Charles has pulled it up by the scruff of its neck in recent years by lowering yields and fine-tuning the vinification.
It has been three years since I last drove up the steep lanes of Pernand-Vergelesses to visit Domaine Bonneau du Martray. As the heavens opened, I hoped that proprietor Jean-Charles de Bault de la Moriniere (no, I never use his full name in casual conversation either) had fixed the problem of an underground spring that I recalled leaking down his cellar walls, lest barrels of Corton-Charlemagne find themselves bobbing down to the RN74. Jean-Charles had not changed a jot since we our last tete-a-tete, tall and aristocratic in demeanor, loquacious and convivial to a fault, he is the gentleman of Charlemagne. As a significant owner of precious vines on the famous historical Corton hill, specifically the largest holding in “En Charlemagne” that was a prime target for hailstorm, it can be safely said that Jean-Charles has not had a stress-free time. Let’s put a figure on that: 75% of his crop was lost after not one, but two devastating hailstorms. At least other producers have some kind of insurance policy in owning a scattering of parcels so that if one plot of vines suffers hail damage, another will be unscathed. With just two grand crus, Corton-Charlemagne and Corton Rouge, Jean-Charles can only look forward to, is recompense next year. In these situations, one can find solace in the old adage: less is more. “I find the Corton-Charlemagne to be a substantial wine. It is almost like the 2010 with a slightly richer character,” he comments with utmost equanimity.
Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’est Vin, Arlington, VA; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191 and Martin Scott (NY)
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
91
–91
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2012 tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray was showing signs of reduction on the nose but it is not as combined as I might have feared. The palate has a touch of bitterness on the entry, disjointed compared to its peers and yet Bonneau du Martray is often like that in its youth, coming together with bottle age. I scored this quite severely and yet one could still detect a great wine in the making, albeit one of the next decade, not this.
robert_parker
2011
Rating:
91
–91
The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is also showing quite well, offering up aromas of citrus zest, pear and white flowers mingled with hints of green pineapple and pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, it's elegantly textural and open knit, with succulent acids and a saline finish. It's a creditable effort from Bonneau du Martray's ancien régime, even if it's surpassed by what's being made today.
robert_parker
2011
Rating:
93
–93
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. Bonneau du Martray’s Corton-Charlemagne 2011 has a mineral-driven bouquet – linear and taut, with slate and granite aromas gradually unfurling in the glass. The palate is clean and fresh with supremely well-judged acidity. Touches of apricot and mango lie in the background with the citrus element playing the main role. Beautifully balanced, this is the Corton-Charlemagne of the flight with impressive tension and persistence.
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
96
–96
The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru offers an enticing array of marine scents on the nose: cockle shells and estuarine aromas. Give it a couple more minutes and watch those lovely grilled walnut scents flourish and multiply so that is ends up almost Meursault Perrieres in character. The palate makes an immediate impression on the entry with that subtle nutty theme continuing, partnered with racy acidity, superb concentration and a long, tense finish that is energetic and surfeit with mineralite, flint popping up on the finish. So delicious you could broach a bottle now - but that would be depriving you of what will be in a decade-s time! Drink 2016-2035.
Time to fill in a small gap of notes relating to the most significant grower in the Corton hill - Bonneau du Martray. Jean-Charles suggested we taste recent vintages together after the 2012s, which I was more than happy to do.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C-est Vin, Arlington, VA; tel. (703) 243-3559; Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, LA; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
96
–96
The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne is the epitome of elegance, finesse and refinement in white Burgundy. Readers will have a very, very hard time finding a wine with this much pure class and textural finesse. Smoke, flint, crushed rocks and citrus all flow through to the vibrant, pointed finish. Today, the 2010 is incredibly tight, and needs more time in bottle to soften. It is a dazzling wine endowed with laser-like focus and tons of purity. Anticipated maturity: 2015+.
Sometimes I wish Bonneau de Martray made more wines, as my tastings with Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere are always much too brief. Readers will find wines of impeccable polish and class at this small domaine tucked in the hillsides of Pernand-Vergelesses. De la Moriniere told me that he hoped to make the red Corton once again available to the estate’s customers in the US, which is great news, although it hasn’t happened yet. According to de la Moriniere, 2009 was a year unlike any other he has seen for its consistent, uninterrupted good weather. The harvest started on September 9th. Yields came in at 39.4 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton-Charlemagne and 27.05 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton. The Corton-Charlemagne finished its malo in June 2010, while the Corton started its malo in May, 2010 and finished in August. Both of the 2009s were bottled in Spring 2011. By contrast, the 2010s were brought in beginning on September 23, after a year characterized by an irregular flowering that lowered yields and an equally variable summer with periods of rain and heat. Conditions improved markedly during the month of September. Yields of 30.50 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton-Charlemagne and 22 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton were the lowest ever recorded at the domaine with the exception of 2003.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, Arlington, VA; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2009
Rating:
93
–95
The 2009 Corton-Charlemagne shows gorgeous balance and overall harmony. The overt, forward fruit is nicely buttressed by the wine’s underlying minerality and crystalline purity. The 2009 is juicy and oily, but without being overwhelming. A clean, vibrant finish rounds things out nicely. It is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Anticipated maturity: 2011- 2019.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2009
Rating:
94
–94
Bonneau de Martray’s 2009 Corton-Charlemagne is quite a bit richer, deeper, and more voluptuous than the 2010 tasted alongside it. Ripe pears, apples, white flowers and crushed rocks are all woven together in an elegant style that is impossible to resist. This relatively fat, full-bodied wine needs time to fully emerge, but it is shaping up to be a beauty. Layers of fruit build to the intense, generous finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+.
Sometimes I wish Bonneau de Martray made more wines, as my tastings with Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere are always much too brief. Readers will find wines of impeccable polish and class at this small domaine tucked in the hillsides of Pernand-Vergelesses. De la Moriniere told me that he hoped to make the red Corton once again available to the estate’s customers in the US, which is great news, although it hasn’t happened yet. According to de la Moriniere, 2009 was a year unlike any other he has seen for its consistent, uninterrupted good weather. The harvest started on September 9th. Yields came in at 39.4 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton-Charlemagne and 27.05 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton. The Corton-Charlemagne finished its malo in June 2010, while the Corton started its malo in May, 2010 and finished in August. Both of the 2009s were bottled in Spring 2011. By contrast, the 2010s were brought in beginning on September 23, after a year characterized by an irregular flowering that lowered yields and an equally variable summer with periods of rain and heat. Conditions improved markedly during the month of September. Yields of 30.50 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton-Charlemagne and 22 hectoliters per hectare for the Corton were the lowest ever recorded at the domaine with the exception of 2003.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C’Est Vin, Arlington, VA; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2009
Rating:
93
–93
The 2009 Corton-Charlemagne shows gorgeous balance and overall harmony. The overt, forward fruit is nicely buttressed by the wine's underlying minerality and crystalline purity. The 2009 is juicy and oily, but without being overwhelming. A clean, vibrant finish rounds things out nicely. The 2009 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Anticipated maturity: 2011- 2019.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C'Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2008
Rating:
94
–94
The 2008 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is performing nicely from bottle, even if it's not quite as it was five or six years ago, offering up aromas of orange oil, fresh pear, honeycomb, dried apricot and nutty, toasty oak. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with racy acids, chalky grip and a lactic quality that I suspect derives from the vintage's high levels of malic acid. This is a contender for Bonneau du Martray's finest Corton-Charlemagne of the 2000s.
robert_parker
2008
Rating:
94
–94
Tasted at the IMW 2008 tasting at Vintners Hall. The Corton-Charlemagne ’08 is quite reserved on the nose, good mineralite with hints of Kaffir lime, Granny Smiths and limestone. The palate is very well balanced, understated on the entry, but then there is a tsunami of flavours hitting the back-palate: minerals, orange rind, a touch of dried honey and a little spice that continues through the aftertaste. Great persistency and drive here. Excellent. Tasted March 2011.
robert_parker
2008
Rating:
94
–94
The 2008 Corton-Charlemagne comes across as super-classic in its chiseled fruit. Today the 2008 is holding back much of its potential, but there is plenty of energy and vitality in its focused, wiry frame. Lemon peel, lime and flowers are some of the notes that linger on the finish. Ideally the 2008 needs another year or two in bottle (and perhaps more) to show the full breadth of its personality. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018.
A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C'Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559, Scott Paul Wines, Oregon; tel. (503) 852-7300, Wines Unlimited, Louisiana; tel. (504) 897-0191
robert_parker
2007
Rating:
97
–99
Tasted at the Domaine. This is an exquisite Corton-Charlemagne from its finest exponent. Tasted from a sample that was racked in late-September, is has a startling vibrant leesy nose with background scents of white peach, frangipane, tinned apricots and orange-blossom. The palate displays wonderful balance, a pervasive sense of effortlessness here, supreme harmony and clarity with a citrus/white peach tinged finish that forms an apt denouement for this gorgeous Corton Charlemagne. Outstanding. Drink 2011-2025+. Tasted November 2008.
robert_parker
2007
Rating:
94
–94
De la Moriniere is always at pains to caution that his white “shuts down” for several years soon after bottling, but in that case I must have tasted his 2007 Corton-Charlemagne before that happened. Cooling herbal, restrained floral and bitter-sweet hints of black currant and citrus rind on the nose lead to a luscious tide of ripe yellow plum, white peach, lime, and grapefruit tinged with chalk, salt, and iodine. A silken texture in no way diminishes the impression of clarity and refreshment. Faintly honeyed and nut oil notes add a sense of richness and depth in a finish of utmost purity of refreshing fruit; clarity to mineral nuances; and vibratory energy. When one compares the 2006 side-by-side today, the latter does indeed show a more overt stoniness and – for all of its textural richness and additional amplitude – suffers slightly in comparison with such fresh fruit vivacity as accrues to the 2007. But either of these contrasting reflections of a great site should be well worth following for more than a decade.
As usual, Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Moriniere gave his Chardonnay from the heart of En Charlemagne a year in cask followed by six months on the fine lees in tank. He picked his one Pinot block early in September, then paid his crew for eight or nine days while the rest of his parcels ripened completely. "I would never have expected such quality given the weather conditions," says de la Moriniere, but then he reflected on the frequent divergence between human psychological perception of "good weather" and what really matters, namely the needs of the vine.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (646) 223 2200
robert_parker
2006
Rating:
94
–94
This has a very precise, stony nose with touches of chalk and white flowers, morning dew and limestone. It builds in intensity in the glass. The palate is harmonious, beautifully focused with hints of vanilla pod, almond, a hint of coconut and a tangible sense of minerality. Very precise on the finish with a hint of brioche and acacia honey lingering in the mouth. Superb. Drink 2011-2020+. Tasted November 2008.
robert_parker
2003
Rating:
92
–94
Undoubtedly one of the best wines of the white 2003 flight. Lacking some definition on the nose: green fruits and a touch of hawthorn. The palate is pure and clean, fresh with fine acidity with a hint of creme-brulee on the mid-palate. Citrus finish and good length (better than Leflaive's Batard.) Very fine. 3/06
robert_parker
2003
Rating:
91
–91
Tasted blind at The Arches in London. This is quite introverted on the nose, but it begins to blossom with time in the glass, touches of smoke, brioche and roasted almonds but it lacks definition. The palate is very powerful, some alcohol noticeable with a waxy texture. Grapefruit, lime, even a hint of ginger towards the finish that I find slightly aggressive. This is a wine that needs to be tamed. Drink now-2014. Tasted February 2009.
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
92
–92
Tasted blind at The Arches. The Corton-Charlemagne from Bonneau du Matray has a beautifully defined nose, touches of melted candle wax, almond, cooking apple, a touch of white flowers and a hint of ground coconut. Wonderful lift and exuberance. The palate is very youthful considering the vintage although there is still some unresolved oak towards the finish. It merits further cellaring, there is more to come here, but it is certainly a class act. Drink 2011-2020. Tasted June 2009.
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
92
–94
Boasting terrific aromatic richness, the white flower and ripe apple-scented 2002 Corton-Charlemagne has awesome depth, gorgeous balance, and is impressively refined. Copious quantities of spiced minerals are intermingled with white fruits in its intense, fresh, concentrated core. This light to medium-bodied wine is not a blockbuster, yet I’d rather dine with Audrey Hepburn than Anna Nicole Smith. Projected maturity: 2006-2015.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
91
–93
Smoky minerals and spiced pears can be found in the nose of the 2001 Corton-Charlemagne. Silky-textured, buttery, rich, and broad, it has impressive depth as well as concentration. This medium-bodied wine is packed with minerals, butter, and spices, whose flavors linger in its impressively long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2014.
My compliments to Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere for the wonderful progress he's made at this estate since taking over.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
91
–91
A gracious, sensual wine, the aromatically demure 2001 Corton-Charlemagne reveals a light to medium-bodied personality. Displaying outstanding depth, its softly textured character is filled with fresh talcum powder, mineral, and pear flavors. Projected maturity: 2005-2013.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
94
–96
First encountered at the Martray vertical with a sublime flinty nose. Tasted again chez Corney & Barrow. A very fine citrus nose, subdued at first but developing a beautiful minerally, flinty, honeysuckle aroma. Becomes quite waxy after five minutes. An understated entry on the palate with minerals, citrus fruits plus a hint of honey and quince. Good acidity. Very backward. Great potential. 9/05
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
92
–94
Compared to the Louis Latour, this certainly has more definition on the nose. A touch of rosewater and white flowers, fresh and citrusy. Lovely balance and poise on the palate. This is more graceful rather than powerful with a crisp apply finish. Will probably drink before the 1999. Very fine. 4/05
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
88
–90
The 2000 Corton-Charlemagne has an enormously appealing nose of pears and apples. Light to medium-bodied, it expands on the palate, revealing citrus, quartz, and mineral flavors. This wine is extremely focused, with outstanding grip and a highly delineated character, yet it also possesses an impressively vinous trait. It is refined, flavorful, and beautifully balanced. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2015.
Importer: Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
robert_parker
1999
Rating:
93
–95
First tasted in Apr-05 at the Martray vertical. An attractive smoky, stony nose with apple scents. The palate is well balanced, with the oak a little bit prominent at the moment. Smooth, backward, muted. Lime and a touch of creme fraiche on the finish. Needs time. Good potential. My score may creep upwards in a few years time. Then at Chateau Palmer…blow me down: a Burgundy in Bordeaux. A stunning, minerally nose with a touch of oyster shells. Still quite a lot of new oak showing at the moment. A little yeasty on the palate, but brilliant poise and definition with a glycerin-finish. Very focused and harmonious. Everything you could ask for in a Corton-Charlemagne. 1/06
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
89
–92
The 1997 Corton-Charlemagne reveals ripe aromas of creamed hazelnuts intertwined with fresh herbs. It is extremely well-balanced, medium-to-full-bodied, and has a focused personality. This 1997 does not have the density, opulence, or sur-maturite that characterizes most of the Cote de Beaune whites from the vintage. It is tangy, precise, refined, and offers mouth-coating berry, orange rind, and mineral flavors that linger in its long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2008. Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
93
–93
How can something be so big and yet so elegant? The nose offers and incredible range of tropical fruit, mineral, toast and exotic spice aromas with discernable notes of pineapple pastry, chalk, praline and honey. The palate is big, rich and buttery with a wonderful silky texture and a fresh burst of balancing acidity. Very long fruit-and-nut finish. Still plenty of life left in this ’96 Drink now – 2012. Tasted October 2008.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
92
–94
The 1996 Corton-Charlemagne promises to be a spectacular wine. Floral, mineral, and hazelnut scents give way to a powerful, concentrated, medium-to-full-bodied, silky-textured, and extracted personality. Highly-focused and delineated flavors of minerals, stones, gravel, and traces of tangy candied lemons are found in this lovely offering. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010. The score, noted on a range and in parentheses, indicates that the wine was tasted from barrel.
Bravo! to Jean-Charles de la Moriniere for the three outstanding Corton-Charlemagnes he has crafted since taking over this estate in 1994.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
85
–87
This was a bit of a disappointment after the 1995. Like so many 1996's, the wine displays some oxidation on the nose, a toffee-scent that should not be there after just nine years. Palate is broody, perhaps lacking some vigour and definition on the finish. This wine concerns me so drink now. 4/05
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
92
–92
De la Moriniere permitted me to re-visit the 1996 Corton-Charlemagne (rated 92-94 in issue #116). It is a fabulous wine that possesses mouth-watering aromas of almond and hazelnut creams. On the palate, this hugely ripe offering exhibits loads of minerals, nuts, honeyed lemons, butterscotch, and pears. It is medium-to-full-bodied, extremely rich (yet fresh and lively), as well as awesome length. I was surprised to find it so accessible at such an early stage. Projected maturity: now-2008.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1995
Rating:
92
–92
Tasted at the Ottoman restaurant in Canberra. The 1995 has a deep, green-tinged bouquet. The nose is lovely with almond, walnut and a touch of lanolin, underneath some granitic aromas with hints of toffee giving away its age. The palate is nicely balanced with a touch of spice on the entry. Good acidity, very vibrant with touches of orange peel and fresh ginger on the finish. Very fine. A point. Tasted November 2011.
robert_parker
1995
Rating:
94
–96
Very limpid, clear colour. A bewitching nose of minerals, limestone and granite. You can just smell the terroir here. Fabulous definition. The palate is quite full-bodied, intense, with good acidity and a mineral core. As usual, the new oak is pitch-perfect. Sophisticated and refined, though nowhere near ready. Undoubtedly one of the great Corton-Charlemagnes. 4/05
robert_parker
1994
Rating:
91
–91
The 1994 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was the first vintage produced by Jean-Charles de la Morinière, and this was a challenging year, with thunderstorms at harvest time that "turned" the grapes. The resulting wine is really a very fine achievement for the vintage, unwinding in the glass with a lovely bouquet of honeycomb, yellow orchard fruit, buttered citrus and blanched almonds. On the palate, it's full-bodied, supple and elegantly textural, with racy acids and fine balance. This doesn't have the concentration or searing structure of the best vintages, but it's an immensely charming wine that is drinking well today, and it numbers among the high points of the year.
robert_parker
1994
Rating:
90
–90
The outstanding 1994 Corton-Charlemagne has a pure (difficult to achieve in this rot-plagued vintage) mineral, nut, cream, and almond-laden nose. On the palate, this medium-bodied and velvety-textured wine offers mouth-coating, precise, and crisp stone-like flavors intermingled with ripe white fruits. Well-structured and focused, it is one of the rare '94s I have tasted that should age well. Projected maturity: 2000-2006. Bravo! to Jean-Charles de la Moriniere for the three outstanding Corton-Charlemagnes he has crafted since taking over this estate in 1994.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1993
Rating:
88
–88
The 1993 Corton-Charlemagne reveals appealing honeysuckle and butterscotch aromas and a medium-bodied, softly textured personality. Caramel, nut cream, and anise flavors are interrupted by a lack of breadth in the mid-palate in this otherwise flavorful, long, and delicious wine. Anticipated maturity: now-2003. Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1993
Rating:
87
–87
The 1993 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has matured nicely on the nose, with mango and dried apricot notes that gradually give way to more resinous scents of melted candle wax and honeycomb. The palate seems to have lower acidity than I expected, while it never really musters the complexity promised by the aromatics. There is still enjoyment to be found here, but I would suggest drinking bottles in the near future. Tasted November 2013.
robert_parker
1993
Rating:
93
–93
From a year that was austere for several decades but which has emerged as one of the most underrated choices for top-flight mature white Burgundy today, the 1993 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing very well indeed, wafting from the glass with notes of tangerine oil, crisp yellow orchard fruit, freshly baked bread, iodine and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, textural and incisive, with a racy spine of acidity that's balanced by concentrated fruit, it concludes with a long, intensely sapid finish.
robert_parker
1993
Rating:
89
–89
This has a relatively simple nose, tight at first but opening up nicely and then…well, I expect it to explode but it rather goes back into its shell. Faint traces of limestone, chalk dust and brioche. It just lacks a little clarity. The palate is better, well balanced with a citrus backbone, notes of Clementine and lime, less breeding than recent vintages with moderate length. Very linear. I cannot see this getting better so drink up. Drink now-2012. Tasted September 2008.
robert_parker
1986
Rating:
94
–94
The 1986 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray is drinking beautifully today offering up a complex bouquet that mingles the exotic—notions of apricot, tangerine oil and caramelized pineapple—with more reductive suggestions of iodine, smoke and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly textural and incisive, it's a bright, penetrating wine that lands somewhere between the extravagance of the 1983 and the structure of the 1985 in style.
robert_parker
1973
Rating:
97
–97
The 1973 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray is an extraordinary wine, and it's hard to find as in this era only a fraction of the domaine's production was estate bottled. Soaring from the glass with a deep bouquet of buttered apples, toasted brioche, dried citrus rind, honeycomb and peat smoke, it's full-bodied, deep and muscular, with a textural attack, broad shoulders and striking concentration, underpinned by an incisive spine of acidity that lends this Corton-Charlemagne terrific structural integrity at age 40, and concluding with a searingly mineral finish. Drunk from an impeccably stored bottle that came from a cellar in the region, this is etched into my memory as the reference-point example of Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne, surpassing even the greatest hits of the 1980s.
vinous
2017
Rating:
96
–96
Richness and energy come together so well in the 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Time in the glass brings out the wine's curves, but the 2017 is so young, especially when tasted next to some of the older wines in this mini-vertical. Lemon confit, marzipan and white flowers add that extra touch of inner perfume and sweetness that is so compelling in this vintage. The 2017 is such a promising Charlemagne.
vinous
2017
Rating:
92
–92
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a little SO2 to address on the nose, though behind it are pretty, floral aromatics with plenty of fruit. The palate delivers a tangy entry and fine acidity. Lightly spiced with sour lemon toward a finish that does attenuate slightly and leaves you wanting more. I ended up liking this more than I did on first acquaintance. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
vinous
2017
Rating:
91
–93
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, aged in around 30% new oak from three coopers, has quite an assertive bouquet; for me, the wood component is a little conspicuous at the moment, despite the modest percentage that it represents in the blend. The palate is more harmonious, and here the wood component feels better subsumed into the fabric of the wine. It offers a fine bead of acidity (pH 3.20), a sense of energy toward the finish and veins of orange pith and light spicy tones. This should be fascinating to watch, but I would like to see that wood component on the nose become fully integrated.
vinous
2004
Rating:
92
–92
I began the meal with the 2004 Bonneau de Martray Corton-Charlemagne, which is drinking beautifully at present: a whiff of reduction blew off with aeration, revealing precise mineral driven acacia flower, honeyed stone fruit and delicate hazelnut aromas and flavors. At 200 years and counting, the family running the Domaine knows a thing or two about the Charlemagne vineyards, and it shows. This turned out to be a great food wine, full of lively acidity and no undue weight (even better, this white Burgundy showed no signs of premox). It matched very well with the mozzarella, and even the anchovies weren’t overwhelmed, given the wine’s still bright acidity. It’s drinking beautifully at present, so I am not sure there’s much to gain by hanging on to any bottles much longer.
vinous
2006
Rating:
95
–95
Bonneau du Martray’s 2006 Corton-Charlemagne (magnum) opens with a super-classic bouquet of slate, crushed rocks and hints of reduction. Bracing and intense and energetic, the 2006 flows with superb focus and pure mineral-drenched cut. From magnum, the 2006 is simply dazzling and appears to have many years of fine drinking ahead of it. 95
vinous
2008
Rating:
92
–92
Very pale yellow-green color. Nose dominated by lime, crushed stone and steely minerality. Densely packed and almost painfully dry, with taut, penetrating citrus and mineral flavors showing more energy than flesh today. This ungiving grand cru has plenty of depth and flavor intensity but is an infant today. The stony, austere finish is like touching a live wire. This seems every bit as steely as the estate's 2007 at the same stage but denser; in fact, this may be even more closed.
vinous
2009
Rating:
95
–95
I thought the 2009 Corton-Charlemagne from Bonneau du Martray was simply brilliant. Perhaps it was the magnum format, but the 2009 was fabulous, with all of the signature mineral, slate and citrus notes given a little extra richness by the warmth of the year. What a gorgeous wine.
vinous
2009
Rating:
94
–94
Bonneau de Martray's 2009 Corton-Charlemagne is quite a bit richer, deeper, and more voluptuous than the 2010 tasted alongside it. Ripe pears, apples, white flowers and crushed rocks are all woven together in an elegant style that is impossible to resist. This relatively fat, full-bodied wine needs time to fully emerge, but it is shaping up to be a beauty. Layers of fruit build to the intense, generous finish.
vinous
2009
Rating:
93
–93
Pale, bright yellow. Reticent nose hints at lemon and baked bread. Rich, powerful and dry, with terrific depth to its lemon, white peach and stone flavors. A densely packed, broad Corton-Charlemagne with serious underlying structure. The classically dry finish saturates the palate with pineapple and crushed stone. Should be long-lived in the context of the year.
vinous
2010
Rating:
94
–94
A wine of pure and ample breadth, the 2011 Corton-Charlemagne has really shut down over the last few months. Pear, almond and white peach notes emerge, but only with great reluctance. Today it is the wine's intense minerality and salinity that dominate. The 2010 is a big wine. Accordingly it will require a measure of patience in the cellar. This is one of the more inward, unexpressive bottles of the 2010 I have tasted, but its inner strength is apparent.
vinous
2010
Rating:
96
–96
The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne is the epitome of elegance, finesse and refinement in white Burgundy. Readers will have a very, very hard time finding a wine with this much pure class and textural finesse. Smoke, flint, crushed rocks and citrus all flow through to the vibrant, pointed finish. Today, the 2010 is incredibly tight, and needs more time in bottle to soften. It is a dazzling wine endowed with laser-like focus and tons of purity.
vinous
2010
Rating:
94
–94
Good pale yellow. Penetrating aromas of citrus peel, spices, metallic minerality and crushed rock. Tightly wound, gripping and deep, with outstanding concentration and clarity and a density of texture that reminded me of the 2005 here. A flavor of candied lime peel is already quite exhilarating but this wine's youthfully imploded character calls for at least seven or eight years of cellaring. Today, this is rather like a tighter version of the 2011, and even more closed than a bottle I rated 94 in Issue 164.
vinous
2010
Rating:
94
–94
Pale yellow. Initially closed nose of lemon drop, anise and wet stone opened with air to show underripe pineapple, spices and wild herbs. Dense, thick, powerful and dry, with a strong vanillin oak element nicely buffered by an impression of saline extract. Began a bit warm but aeration brought strong, chewy flavors of chalk and lemon. Finishes austere, uncompromisingly dry and very long, with superb verve. All about soil and stone.
vinous
2011
Rating:
94
–94
The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is just starting to drink well. Fresh and mineral, the 2011 also looks to have plenty of life ahead of it. Chalk, lemon confit and white flowers all grace this open-knit, curvy Charlemagne. The 2011 has really softened in recent years. Time in the glass brings out the layers in this very pretty and expressive Charlemagne from Bonneau du Martray.
vinous
2011
Rating:
92
–92
The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne from Bonneau du Martray remains reticent and not fully expressive, although it opens up nicely over time. Subtle veins of minerality support white orchard fruit and flowers in a layered, subtle Charlemagne.
vinous
2011
Rating:
91
–91
The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne is subtle, understated and quite pretty. Hints of graphite, pears, white peaches and flowers emerge from a medium-bodied frame. Today, the 2011 appears to be built for near term drinking. There is plenty of energy and tension, but less in the way of mid-palate depth relative to recent vintages. This is the seventh vintage of biodynamic farming, which according to these principles, is supposed to be an inflection point. Needless to say, it will be interesting to follow the 2011 over the coming years.
vinous
2011
Rating:
92
–92
The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was served blind at a dinner in Bordeaux. This has always been a fine vintage from the estate, although it has lost a little vigor since my last encounter. The nose is quite strict, offering scents of lemon verbena, red apples and a touch of orange pith, and not as flinty as I found in its youth. The palate is well balanced and delivers the weight one expects from a Corton-Charlemagne, though you could argue it does not quite deliver the complexity of the greatest vintages on the finish. Pretty, but maybe it just lacks a little personality. I think decanting for 2–3 hours would have benefited this wine. Tasted blind in Bordeaux.
vinous
2011
Rating:
93
–93
(from vines harvested between September 6 and 12): Pale silver-straw color. Enticing, pure aromas of lemon, white plum, wild herbs and menthol, lifted by a hawthorn topnote. Pliant, silky and fat but also fresh and precise, with complex, concentrated flavors of lemon, grapefruit pith, spices and powdered stone. Lovely classic vintage with texture, balance and depth. Finishes very long, with subtle sweetness and noteworthy clarity. A repeating note of menthol calls for patience, though.
vinous
2014
Rating:
95
–95
The 2014 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is fabulous. It is a bright, airy Charlemagne bursting at the seams with tons of class. Lemon peel, crushed rocks and white pepper are some of the many notes that are laced together in the 2014. There is a feeling of phenolic intensity on the finish that is very distinctive. I would prefer to cellar the 2014 for at least a few years, as it is really not ready to offer maximum pleasure yet. Thirty percent of the harvest was lost to hail that year.
vinous
2014
Rating:
95
–95
Very sexy aromas of apple, wild herbs, spices and soil. Boasts outstanding breadth and sweetness, with lovely savory complexity to the flavors of medicinal herbs, citrus fruits and powdered stone. Really superb tension in the mouth here. The echoing, building finish conveys an impression of outstanding density and a strong saline character. Showing spectacularly today but it's hard to believe that this wine won't shut down in bottle at some point.
vinous
2016
Rating:
93
–93
The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is the product of a tiny harvest in which a significant portion of the vintage was damaged by frost. The berries that ultimately made it into the tanks (all first generation) had very thick skins. In tasting, the 2016 is quite concentrated and also very exotic, with strong tropical inflections. Even so, there is an element of translucence to the 2016 that is beguiling. It will be interesting to see how it ages.
vinous
2016
Rating:
95
–95
(production was half of normal in 2016; aged in 30% new oak and bottled at the beginning of April of this year): Pale yellow-green. High-pitched aromas of citrus peel, menthol, lavender and white pepper. Extremely tight without coming across as austere, conveying striking purity to its bracing flavors of grapefruit pith, lemon and crushed stone. Adamant minerality gives this very dense wine terrific inner-mouth tension and yet there's an element of leavening sweetness here as well, not to mention compelling floral perfume throughout. This wonderfully smooth, rich yet weightless wine really dances on the palate, spreading out on the unflagging back end to saturate every square millimeter of the mouth. Cellarmaster Emmanuel Hautus compared this wine to the 2009 in its combination of richness, early appeal and potential longevity.
vinous
2018
Rating:
93
–93
The 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a reductive nose but there is some fine fruit here, touches of orange pith, honeysuckle and melted candle wax. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, a hint of wood to be subsumed on the entry, impressive depth with a slightly toasty finish. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 white tasting.
robert_parker
2022
Rating:
97
–97
Bottled in May 2024, the 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with notes of sweet stone and orchard fruit mingled with hints of nutmeg, iodine, freshly baked bread and vanilla pod. Full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's deep and layered, with terrific mid-palate plenitude, lively acids and chalky structuring extract, this rivals the more incisive 2020 version as the finest wine from Bonneau du Martray in recent years.
robert_parker
2020
Rating:
97
–97
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.
robert_parker
2019
Rating:
95
–95
The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has turned out brilliantly in bottle, exhibiting a harmony and precision that stands out in this vintage. Offering up aromas of sweet orchard fruits, citrus pith, nutmeg, spices, honey and oatmeal, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with excellent concentration, chalky structuring extract and a long, vibrant finish. This is a very classy, beautifully balanced wine that is built to age with grace.
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
94
–94
A terrific effort in a vintage that often produced rather open-knit, soft white Burgundies, the 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru continues to perform very well. Mingling aromas of sweet citrus and stone fruits with notions of oatmeal, anise and flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, exhibiting excellent depth at the core and impressive precision. Racy, charming and attractively complete, it stands out from its peers.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
96
–96
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is aging with real grace, unwinding in the glass with notes of sweet citrus oil, crisp green apple, white flowers, pastry cream and vanilla, framed by a deft touch of reduction. It is medium to full-bodied, ample and incisive, with a satiny attack that segues into a pure, layered mid-palate animated by racy acids, concluding with a precise, saline finish.
robert_parker
1992
Rating:
93
–93
The 1992 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is open and demonstrative, bursting with aromas of ripe peaches, beeswax, cornmeal and smoke, followed by a full-bodied, satiny and sensual palate that's fleshy, open-knit and seamless, girdled by ripe acids and concluding with a saline finish. I've had fresher, more precise bottles, but this example was fully mature and drinking well.
robert_parker
1991
Rating:
92
–92
Opening in the glass with aromas of sweet orchard fruits mingled with honeycomb, butterscotch, iodine and smoke, the 1991 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a broad, satiny, enveloping palate that's fleshy and gourmand. This is an opulent, gourmand vintage for Bonneau du Martray that remains very youthful at over 30 years of age.
robert_parker
1989
Rating:
95
–95
The 1989 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a real success, with this cuvée's customary tension and cut counterbalancing the style of the vintage to terrific effect. Offering up aromas of sweet orchard fruit, beeswax, buttery pastry, nougat and white flowers, it's full-bodied, layered and textural, with a deep, muscular profile and a long, expansive finish. While its fleshy core of ripe fruit offers appealing drinking today, I suspect this is one 1989 that still has upside with additional age in bottle.
robert_parker
1988
Rating:
95
–95
The 1988 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was harvested between September 28 and October 5 and stands out as the raciest, most tensile vintage of the 1988-1989-1990 trio. Unwinding in the glass with notes of sweet stone fruits, buttered citrus, nougat, cornmeal and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with a precise, fine-boned profile and a long, tangy finish. This was surely rather austere in its youth, but it's now drinking with real plenitude.
robert_parker
1987
Rating:
93
–93
A notable success in a vintage that's generally something of a washout, the 1987 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru exhibits aromas of buttery pastry, mandarin oil, lime zest, beeswax, sweet stone fruits and nougat, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless palate with a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and an impressively persistent, saline finish. Harvest took place October 3-10, in the rain, after a hot, thundery September.
robert_parker
1986
Rating:
94
–94
The 1986 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru from Bonneau du Martray continues to drink beautifully today, offering up a complex bouquet that mingles the exotic—notions of apricot, tangerine oil and caramelized pineapple—with more reductive suggestions of iodine, smoke and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly textural and incisive, it's a bright, penetrating wine that lands somewhere between the extravagance of the 1983 and the structure of the 1985 in style.
robert_parker
1985
Rating:
95
–95
Bonneau de Martray whites from the 1980s generally remain very youthful today, and the 1985 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is if anything still somewhat on the young side for primetime drinking. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, drawn butter, cornmeal, white flowers and iodine, it's medium to full-bodied, taut and layered, with a satiny attack, terrific depth at the core and a long, penetrating, chalky finish.
robert_parker
1976
Rating:
96
–96
The 1976 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notions of lemon curd, saffron, iodine, smoke and beeswax, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and fleshy palate with a taut core of fruit and a racy spine of acidity. Concentrated and intense, it's only as it approaches room temperature that this remarkably youthful white Burgundy begins to show all its potential. Less evolved than the 1973 and 1979, it's a terrific bottle from this brilliant decade chez Bonneau du Martray.
robert_parker
1973
Rating:
97
–97
My personal reference point for this estate is the extraordinary 1973 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, a striking wine that bursts from the glass with a deep bouquet of buttered apples, toasted brioche, dried citrus rind, honeycomb and peat smoke. Full-bodied, deep and muscular, with a textural attack, broad shoulders and striking concentration, it's animated by an incisive spine of acidity that carries through the searingly mineral finish. In this period, much of the domaine's production was sold in bulk, and there is no way to know which of the domaine's holdings were reserved for domaine bottling; but if I had to guess, I'd speculate that this particular bottle derived from the Aloxe-Corton side, given its style.
robert_parker
2014
Rating:
91
–93
The 2014 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, which was still on the less when I tasted it at the domaine, has a crisp, fresh oyster shell-tinged bouquet that opens nicely with aeration. It is just a little austere, not that is detracts from its pleasure. The palate is fresh on the entry with a crisp line of acidity; perhaps a little more austere than other vintages, but that allows the terroir to show through. There is a lovely touch of lemongrass on the finish that prolongs length, completing a fine, quite saline, intriguing contribution to the vintage.
robert_parker
2013
Rating:
92
–92
The 2013 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a very pretty bouquet, backward of course, but opening with hints of white peach and white flowers, the oak succinctly integrated. The palate is crisp and taut with a keen line of acidity, the 2014 is quite saline-like, with hints of ginger and spice furnishing the finish. This is a very fine Corton-Charlemagne that sits comfortably at the upper end of my banded score from last year. It may improve even further with continued bottle age.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
94
–94
The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is showing superbly from bottle, unwinding in the glass with a classy bouquet of crisp green apple, pears, almond paste, fresh pastry and Meyer lemon. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and precise, with serious depth, tangy acidity, and chewy structuring dry extract while remaining elegantly textural. Intense and complete, it's an immensely promising wine which augers well for Bonneau du Martray's future.
robert_parker
2003
Rating:
90
–93
Gorgeous aromatics of rich pears and white peaches emanate from the glass of the 2003 Corton-Charlemagne (white). A wine of impressive breadth and harmony, its suave personality spreads out over the palate releasing waves of satin-textured white fruits, slate, and fresh herbs. Lush, supple, and inviting, this offering’s long finish displays a slight brightness of acid (natural), rendering it surprisingly light on its feet. One of the top 2003 white Burgundies, it should be at its best between 2006 and 2014. Bravo!
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
92
–92
The 2002 Corton-Charlemagne, revisited from bottle, sports a spicy, apple-scented nose and a long, light to medium-bodied personality. Well-focused and revealing a deep minerality, spice-laced pears, and white pepper, this elegant wine is complex, seamless, and possesses a beautifully extended finish. Projected maturity: 2007-2015. Bravo!
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400
robert_parker
2006
Rating:
93
–94
Jean-Charles Le Bault de Martray has established a singular track record for wine from a single large parcel in the heart of the original Charlemagne vineyards of Corton. His distinctive methods typically include separate fermentation of each vineyard block; a year in barrel with late summer malolactic; and a full six months on the fine lees in tank, in which state I tasted his 2006 Corton-Charlemagne. An architect by training, Le Bault de Martray values -brightness, precision and proportionality- and it is easy to see those virtues exemplified in this wine, characterized by clarity, subtlety, firmness of structure, and sheer refreshment unusual for the vintage. Scents of fresh lime, heliotrope and white peach usher in a subtly-creamy yet persistently bright and juicy display of continued citrus, peach, and inner-mouth floral notes. Airy and elegant, this finishes almost delicately but tenaciously. Le Bault de Martray cautions that his Corton-Charlemagne virtually uniformly -shuts down- for several years soon after bottling. I would recommend planning on revisiting this 2006 in 3-5 years and it should repay at least an additional decade's bottle maturation. The palpable extract and depth of sweet-saline, savor in the 2005 put it in a similar league and in line for a similarly long life.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (646) 223 2200
robert_parker
1998
Rating:
91
–91
Unlike his colleagues in Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, de la Moriniere did not have any frost or hail damage (and only traces of oidium) in 1998. However, the famed Corton hill, on which is located Corton-Charlemagne, was not spared nature's wrath. The searing sun and heat of August burnt a significant percentage of the grapes, so de la Moriniere was compelled "to sort like crazy".
While he wishes he could have harvested earlier, my impression is that his 1998 Corton-Charlemagne benefitted from the extra hang time by gaining richness, breadth, opulence, and riper acidities. Its delightful tropical fruit (pineapple and passion fruit) and spiced apple aromas lead to its velvety-textured, medium-bodied personality.
This is a harmonious 1998, without any of the angular acid and tart aspects that typify so many of this difficult vintage's efforts. Its long seamless finish, and dense, fruit-packed character are outstanding. Projected maturity: 2002-2010. Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
89
–89
The 1997 Corton-Charlemagne offers dense aromas of anise, spices, and nuts. On the palate it offers poached pears, tangy berries, minerals, and hazelnuts. This is a deep, extremely well-balanced wine that is presently slightly compressed in the finish. With cellaring, it should flesh out. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2009.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1999
Rating:
91
–92
While most of his neighbors were harvesting the maximum allowable yields of 63 h/h or more, Jean-Charles de la Moriniere harvested his Corton-Charlemagne at 47 h/h, yet he still complained that this was 20% over his objective.
The 1999 Corton-Charlemagne reveals lovely aromatic depth of minerals and spices. Medium-bodied, rich, and precise, this is a defined, pure, detailed wine filled with lemons, nuts, and pears. It is harmonious, elegant, and complete. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2012.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
94
–94
Shame on me! I vastly under-rated this estate's 2000 Corton-Charlemagne in my barrel assessment a year ago (originally scored 88-90). The finest wine I've ever tasted from this famed domaine, it reveals a rich nose of ripe pears, buttered hazelnuts, and minerals. Medium-bodied, lush, intense, and satin-textured, it has exceptional balance, refinement, and a stupendously long finish. While it is not the most powerful Corton-Charlemagne, it has superb focus, detail, and seamlessness. Toast, spices, pears, and ripe apples can be found throughout its complex character. If this wine continues to improve in the bottle as it did in the final months of elevage, it will be completely mind-boggling. Projected maturity: 2005-2016.
My compliments to Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere for the wonderful progress he's made at this estate since taking over.
Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
robert_parker
1990
Rating:
96
–96
Bonneau du Martray's 1990 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru continues to drink superbly from my cellar, offering up aromas of sweet citrus pith, orchard fruit, apple blossom and freshly baked bread mingled with subtle hints of pastry cream and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and suave, it's beautifully balanced, with a crisp core of ripe fruit, integrated acids and a long, expansive finish.
robert_parker
1978
Rating:
93
–93
The 1978 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a pretty and elegant wine, offering up notes of pear, orange oil, freshly baked bread, bee pollen and iodine, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy palate that's fine-boned and understated.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
92
–92
The 1996 Corton-Charlemagne promises to be a spectacular wine. Floral, mineral, and hazelnut scents give way to a powerful, concentrated, medium-to-full-bodied, silky-textured, and extracted personality. Highly-focused and delineated flavors of minerals, stones, gravel, and traces of tangy candied lemons are found in this lovely offering. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010. The score, noted on a range and in parentheses, indicates that the wine was tasted from barrel.
Bravo! to Jean-Charles de la Moriniere for the three outstanding Corton-Charlemagnes he has crafted since taking over this estate in 1994.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
robert_parker
1995
Rating:
93
–93
I was bowled-over by the quality of the 1995 Corton-Charlemagne, it is certainly the finest wine I have tasted from this famous estate. Beguiling aromas of red berries, vanilla, and traces of coconut are followed by a powerful punch of concentrated, extracted, and intense flavors. This gorgeous medium-to-full-bodied wine has a tightly wound "nugget" of red currants, almonds, hazelnuts, pears, and minerals in its silky-textured, extremely well-balanced, and admirably long character. It should be at its peak between 2002 and 2010. Bravo! to Jean-Charles de la Moriniere for the three outstanding Corton-Charlemagnes he has crafted since taking over this estate in 1994.
Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.
james_suckling
2017
Rating:
97
–97
The very complex nose of flint, dried pear, Amalfi lemon and fresh ginger pulls you inexorably into this super focused and racy Corton-Charlemagne that is still tightly wound. Wonderful silky texture at the very long crushed stone finish. So much energy and vitality it should age very well. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
james_suckling
1993
Rating:
95
–95
Due to all the problems with premox (premature oxidation) in white Burgundy, it’s not often that we encounter a great mature wine of this category. But at almost 30 years of age, this Corton-Charlemagne is still full of life with a slew of mature toasted nuts character alongside the caramelized lemon freshness. Beautiful balance through the long cool stony finish. Drink now.
