2012 Le Corton

Medium red, a bit pale at the rim. Soil-inflected aromas of red fruits, potpourri spices, minerals, flowers and truffle. Plush, rich and fine-grained, showing terrific volume and breadth and a restrained sweetness to the flavors of red fruits, smoke and earth. This seamless, stylish wine boasts strong soil tones and an inviting, very smooth finish. A beauty--and perhaps deceptively accessible today.

The 2012 Le Corton Grand Cru comes from 2.4 hectares of vine on chalky soils. It has a very attractive bouquet with abundant red cherry and wild strawberry scents that are very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, velvety smooth in the mouth with pure redcurrant and strawberry fruit. The oak is a little conspicuous at the moment (around 35% new) but it is very well assimilated on the finish. This is a well-crafted Corton. Although I tasted the wines of this Burgundy grand maison in London, I spent a morning with winemaker Philippe Prost to go through at least part of their large portfolio to get an insight into Bouchard Pere & Fils. Ever since Michel Bouchard established the house in 1731, it has been a permanent fixture in Burgundy, surviving seizure by the State after the Revolution, phylloxera, two World Wars and periods when the world simply was uninterested in Burgundy. Today they own 130 hectares of vines, more than any Bordeaux chateau, including 12 grand crus and 74 premier crus. Importer: Henriot Inc. and John E. Fells in the UK.

Lots of barrel influence on the palate. Light and rather under-fruited on the palate. Doesn’t seem to have the grandeur of a grand cru – though it is certainly oaked as one. (RH)