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Wine Description
The Story
Corton has enjoyed great fame in Burgundy ever since the Emperor Otho gave it his name in the 8th Century. The word "Corton" comes from curtis (the estate) and Othon (the Emperor). The hill of Corton is the most distinctive in Côte d'Or : it is massive, crowned by a forest of gnarly oak trees and, from a distance, looks like some kind of crouching animal.
Through erosion, the soil is a mixture of ochre colours, with patches of clay and angular stones delineating various terroirs on the slope. This explains why there are other Grand Cru vineyards on the hill using the name Corton, such as Corton-Bressandes for instance. Corton (the real Corton) is not very large : it is situated at the top of the hill, right below the line of trees, facing South-East. Due to excellent drainage, the roots of the Pinot Noir must dig very deep through the rocky sub-soil for their subsistence. This is one of this wine's secrets : Corton is not made just at the surface of the vineyard, but deep below.
One reason for the fame of Corton was its ability in the old days to travel very well. Nothing surprising, since Corton, in its youth, has a particularly firm structure. It is a wine which always needs some ageing, especially in a great vintage.
Wine Information
Vintage 1996
1996 VINTAGE in Burgundy
Maturity levels were in general high following a long hot summer. The wines from the famous Pinot Noir have an intense ruby red colour with lush red fruit aromas. They are wines that are comparable with the outstanding 88s and 89s. The whites are just as outstanding full-bodied with elegant vibrant Chardonnay fruit and sweet white flower and grilled nut aromas. These are wines that have the potential to age magnificently.
Each harvest we hope for three things, favorable weather conditions, healthy grape clusters and high sugar levels. The 1996 harvest provided all of these. April was particularly sunny and brought about an early bud burst (18th of April). Following this we had what can be described as a flash flowering which leads to good pollination, creating high yields.
Arean had low rainfall levels, a sturdy breeze (which kept rot to a minimum) and a long ripening period. These factors created high sugar levels and good acidity within the grapes. Cloud cover in August, combined with the coldest September on record meant that the sugar levels were exceptionally high and so was the acidity: 12% potential alcohol with 5.5g of acidity for Corton Reds and 13%-14% potential alcohol with 6g of acidity for Corton Charlemagne.
As a result, most are very pleased with the 1996 vintage. The reds have an intense color, good tannin structure and concentrated Pinot Noir flavor. The white wines are also impressive, containing plenty of rich fruit character, a crisp acidity and are already showing an attractive bouquet.
