Critic ratings
robert_parker
2020
Rating:
93
–95
The 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru opens in the glass with aromas of waxy citrus rind, pear, mandarin oil, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Full-bodied, ample and satiny, it's layered and seamless, with tangy acids and a long, saline finish.
robert_parker
2019
Rating:
93
–95
The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is very promising, delivering aromas of pear, orange oil, white flowers, peaches, almond paste and beeswax. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's chiseled and incisive, with tangy acids girdling its rich, muscular core. I'm looking forward to revisiting this in bottle.
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
92
–94
The 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is the finest of the domaine's whites this year, delivering a lovely bouquet of peach, green pear, nutmeg, white flowers and citrus oil, followed by a full-bodied, multidimensional and textural palate that's lively and incisive, concluding with a long, zesty finish.
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
94
–94
The 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has turned out superbly, unwinding with scents of lemon oil, mandarin, fresh pear, buttery pastry and green apple. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's saline and enveloping, with a concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a long, mineral finish. This is a dramatic, expressive rendition of a cuvée that still flies somewhat under the radar.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
87
–89
The 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is comprised of a single 300-liter used barrel as usual. It has a rather simple, slightly anonymous bouquet (I actually discerned more personality in the Corton Blanc). The palate is medium-bodied and nicely balanced, straightforward toffee apple and citrus notes that lead to a pleasant but, at the end of the day, slightly forgettable finish. I would drink this over the next five or six years.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
92
–92
More musky and exotic, the 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru reveals notions of ripe peach, apricot, honeycomb and citrus blossom. On the palate, it's full-bodied, glossy and rich, with a thick, unctuous attack but juicy acids and refreshing phenolic grip on the back end.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
89
–91
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was quite conservative on the nose despite rigorous coaxing, eventually offering glimpses of lemon curd and orange blossom. I would have liked more vigor, more gusto here. The palate is better than the nose: well balanced with a crisp line of acidity. There is attractive salinity here, tensile with very good persistence that goes some way to compensate for the aromatics. Hopefully they will manifest with bottle age, so store this away for 3-5 years to get the most from it.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
93
–93
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is excellent, revealing a complex bouquet of apples, preserved citrus, smoke, hazelnut cream, iodine and petrol. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, with more density and dimension than the Corton Blanc, with a tight-knit core, good concentration and succulent acids. This is the most reserved of the Chandon de Briailles whites and will merit some bottle age. This is a characterful Corton-Charlemagne.
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
91
–91
The 1997 Corton-Charlemagne was harvested at 13.5% natural alcohol. It has intense aromatics of pears, candied apples, and buttered toast. This wine exhibits great richness, a broad, enveloping opulent personality, and layers of oily minerals and white fruits. It is refined, well-balanced, and extremely well-defined. Anticipated maturity: now-2006.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415, also imported by De Gustibus Imports in Washington State, and Beaune Imports in California.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
90
–92
The Corton-Charlemagne (tasted just after racking, post-assemblage) is an outstanding wine, and the best white I have tasted from this estate. A rich, leesy, and smoky nose gives way to an extremely rich, thick, dense, medium-to-full-bodied core of buttered minerals, pears, lees, roasted white fruits, anise and stones. This wine has great depth of fruit and balance, as well as an admirably long and pure finish. Projected maturity: 2002-2009.
The score, noted on a range and in parentheses, indicates that the wine was tasted from barrel.
The winemaker, "Kojak", told me the alcoholic fermentations lasted through February for the 1996 whites and that he performed a weekly batonnage to give them additional body.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415, also imported by De Gustibus Imports in Washington, and Beaune Imports in California.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
91
–91
Mme. de Nicolay was kind enough to open a bottle of the 1996 Corton-Charlemagne, a wine I had only tasted from barrel. Spiced pears, minerals, and toasted oak were evident in its aromatics. On the palate it offered a dense core of mouth-coating minerals and gravel. This rich yet highly structured wine is extremely tight at present (as are most 1996s) and will require considerable cellaring patience. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415, also imported by De Gustibus Imports in Washington State, and Beaune Imports in California.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
93
–93
The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is excellent, revealing a complex bouquet of apples, preserved citrus, smoke, hazelnut cream, iodine and petrol. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, with more density and dimension than the Corton Blanc, with a tight-knit core, good concentration and succulent acids. This is the most reserved of the Chandon de Briailles whites and will merit some bottle age. This is a characterful Corton-Charlemagne.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
93
–95
The 2017 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is excellent, unfurling in the glass with notes of lime and lemon oil, crushed chalky, blanched almonds, dried white flowers and wet stones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with chewy extract, tangy acids and a long, chalky finish. It's a very promising rendition of a cuvée that flies somewhat under the radar.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
92
–92
More musky and exotic, the 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru reveals notions of ripe peach, apricot, honeycomb and citrus blossom. On the palate, it's full-bodied, glossy and rich, with a thick, unctuous attack but juicy acids and refreshing phenolic grip on the back end.
robert_parker
1999
Rating:
89
–91
The 1999 Corton-Charlemagne reveals a myriad of spices, flowers, and anise in its aromatics. Medium-bodied and harmonious, this is a pure, well-focused, pear and apple-flavored wine. It is extremely well-balanced and has a long, flavor-packed finish. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.
Importer: Daniel Johnnes/Jeroboam Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 625-2505.
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
91
–91
The 1997 Corton-Charlemagne was harvested at 13.5% natural alcohol. It has intense aromatics of pears, candied apples, and buttered toast. This wine exhibits great richness, a broad, enveloping opulent personality, and layers of oily minerals and white fruits. It is refined, well-balanced, and extremely well-defined. Anticipated maturity: now-2006.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415, also imported by De Gustibus Imports in Washington State, and Beaune Imports in California.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
91
–91
Mme. de Nicolay was kind enough to open a bottle of the 1996 Corton-Charlemagne, a wine I had only tasted from barrel. Spiced pears, minerals, and toasted oak were evident in its aromatics. On the palate it offered a dense core of mouth-coating minerals and gravel. This rich yet highly structured wine is extremely tight at present (as are most 1996s) and will require considerable cellaring patience. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2010.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, New York, NY; tel (212) 374-9415, also imported by De Gustibus Imports in Washington State, and Beaune Imports in California.