Red Corton?

T

Thom Blach

Location
London
I love red Corton and can think of dozens of stunningly enjoyable wines I've enjoyed over the years, both young and old; but I'm trying to think of one that is quite unequivocally a grand cru experience and I am struggling. Who can put me right?
 
Not fashionable or well thought of, but I’ve had lovely bottles of Louis Latour — 89 Corton Grancey was rich and generous at around seven years (though that in itself is telling), and their 92 Vigne au Saint equally enjoyable, albeit in a lighter, more mineral style at a decade. But unequivocally of Grand Cru standard? Realistically, neither.
 
Charles Muttar said:
One of my greatest regrets is not buying any of Prince Florent de Mérode's 2006 Cortons after tasting them at HR's EP event. Just spellbinding.
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Charles, I bought various Merode 2002s but haven't got around to them. The Roi was closest to GC. I recall the Renardes being furrily vulpine in a way I liked but wouldn't be for everyone. Wonder how long those 2002s will be good for...
 
Paul Anderson said:
I've had Tollot-Beaut's Corton and Corton-Bressandes from a few vintages and would say they were definitely grand cru experiences. Need a few years (15+) under their belt though.
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The 2015 T-B Corton-Bressandes featured in one of Jasper's online tastings (2015 horizontal) and came out group WOTN. I've had better premier cru and even village wines, but so much depends on how the wine is feeling on the night and this did have weight and seriousness even though it was young.

I think he is planning a full-on red Corton tasting sometime soon.

I also had a 1990 Cornu Corton-Bressandes last year that was absolutely superb.
 
I have had many truly excellent Jadot Pougets and Bouchard Le Corton from the early 90s.
They miss the weight and intensity of the more prestigious (for red wine) Climats on the eastern flank, but I find them quite complete wines with no lack of drive or complexity.
One "virtue" of the Bouchard in particular is easy availability.

Corton and Clos de Vougeot are both victims of fashion, both in terms of wine style and reputation.
Both tend to be heavier/duskier, less attractive in youth, relatively less rare and in need of at least 20 to 30 years to find their balance; when compared to certain Vosne 1er.

How do you define a Grand Cru experience?
Better than Premier Cru?
Something to do with the weight or intensity of the wine?
 
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In no particular order:

Romanée-Conti
Méo-Camuzet Clos Rognet
Clavelier Rognet
Drouhin Bressandes
Chandon-de-Briailles Bressandes and maybe Clos du Roi
Bouchard P&F Le Corton
Bonneau-du-Martray (haven't had since the change in ownership)
Faiveley Clos des Cortons
Pousse d'Or Bressandes and Clos du Roi
Prieur Bressandes
de Montille Clos du Roi
Surely Leroy Renardes, but I haven't had one since about 2004
Jadot Pougets
Senard Bressandes and probably Clos du Roi
I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting for the moment
 
Many very delicious wines from Corton, as listed by Claude and others, but few indeed that are a clear grand cru expression. It is not the fault of the terroir or producer but of classification.
Which has sadly put people off the appellation - though with the benefit that prices from most producers, especially those based on the hill itself, have remained very reasonable. I have very much enjoyed wines from Vincent Rapet and Christine Dubreuil-Fontaine in addition to names already cited.

To answer Brian, I think that a genuine grand cru needs a depth of fruit, a range of flavour and a personality of its own over-and-above the character of its village to merit the top classification.

Clos du Roi would come closest - I can hear a rating of Fine Plus emanating from the lips of Clive Coates.
 
Jasper Morris said:
Many very delicious wines from Corton, as listed by Claude and others, but few indeed that are a clear grand cru expression. It is not the fault of the terroir or producer but of classification.
Which has sadly put people off the appellation - though with the benefit that prices from most producers, especially those based on the hill itself, have remained very reasonable. I have very much enjoyed wines from Vincent Rapet and Christine Dubreuil-Fontaine in addition to names already cited.

To answer Brian, I think that a genuine grand cru needs a depth of fruit, a range of flavour and a personality of its own over-and-above the character of its village to merit the top classification.

Clos du Roi would come closest - I can hear a rating of Fine Plus emanating from the lips of Clive Coates.
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Thanks a lot Jasper,
For me a young Corton has several hallmarks: Minerality (strictness), Rusticity and Complexity. Compared with say Chambertin or Richebourg there is perceptibly less weight although not necessarily length.

Who would you say are the standard bearers for Clos du Roi, especially for mature examples?
I think highly of recent bottlings of de Montille and Vougeraie, but have not come across a truly mature example.

Surely Faiveley Clos des Corton is in a class of it's own in terms of character.
 
I have good experiences with the following Cortons and consider them Grand Crus.

Jadot Corton Pougets
Chandon de Braiilles Corton Bressandes
Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons
 
Jadot Corton Pougets in good years. Much as I like the Tollot-Beaut Corton Bressandes, I'm not sure it is better than a top 1er cru. These are the only two I've drunk in a large number of vintages and with significant age (back to 1976 in both cases).
 
I have yet to try DRC, Leroy or Meo but I've enjoyed most of the others mentioned. Certainly the Drouhin gets close. In contrast, though, I've never had the least doubt about the classification of Clos de Vougeot, indeed it could easily be argued that it is underrated.
 
I’ve thought the Faively Clos de Cortons impressive in the past 5 or 6 years tastings, but never purchased any, I’m unsure how they compare to wines of the old regime, the sampler had a few 96’s recently that piqued my interest, does anyone think they’ll be ready ?
 
Paul J a i n e s said:
I do enjoy Jadot Corton-Pouget, but damn it needs time. A 1993 I had a while back was as dense as a blackhole and chiselled from rock. Amazing depth on it.
I may broach my 2010 in about 9,200 years.
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I've had two bottles of the 2016 and loved them both. Of course it is infanticide, but who can resist some glorious primary fruit, available (in Norway) for around GBP 85?
 
Paul J a i n e s said:
I do enjoy Jadot Corton-Pouget, but damn it needs time. A 1993 I had a while back was as dense as a blackhole and chiselled from rock. Amazing depth on it.
I may broach my 2010 in about 9,200 years.
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The 1998 is drinking well. The 1996 on the other hand must be a twin of the 1993. I've been tempted to start on the 1999 I must admit. The 2010 is widely regarded as a superstar wine, but as everyone says, a forever wine. I can safely report that the 1976 is mature.
 
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