2012 Corton Charlemagne

Ineffable perfume to the aromas of lemon, lime, lavender and crushed stone. Juicy, tangy and youthfully tight, with a distinctly dusty, extract-rich texture to the flavors of citrus peel, flowers, fleur de sel and minerals. A classic Corton-Charlemagne from vines harvested late (Colin has two sources, one in Aloxe and the other in Pernand; the two vignerons harvested on the same day and Colin carried out a single vinification). The crop level was normal as there was no hail here.

The 2012 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was inexplicably showing a little cloudiness in the glass. Still, the nose is beautifully defined, airy and pure with hints of limestone, creme fraiche and freshly sliced apple. The palate is very well-balanced – understated at first and then building in intensity in the mouth and yet, it does not quite deliver the complexity that I was anticipating after the ethereal nose – at least not yet! Give this several years in bottle to let it show what it can do. Readers should check out my video taken with Pierre-Yves onwww.erobertparker.com, where he discusses his impression of the 2012 vintage. He is the prime example of a vigneron that might not possess his own vines, yet creates wines that surpass many of those who do. The bottom line is that volume was approximately 40% to 50% down compared to 2011 (apart from St. Aubin that was only 20% to 25% down.) Pierre-Yves explained that his 2012s displayed much higher acid levels compared to 2011 and opined that they will be shy at the beginning. He expressed the importance of not wishing to “push” the wines, so that he could stay true to what he feels is a more classic vintage in the mold of 2007 and 2010. Tasting through the complete set of 2012s, Pierre-Yves clearly had a firm grasp on the vintage and his wines were (again) a cut above the rest, from his generic white Burgundy to his clutch of grand crus. Importer: A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; also imported by Bertin Henri Selections, 10900 N.W. 21st Street, Unit 180, Doral, Florida 33172 tel: (305) 343-4054

Once again reduction flattens the fruit and renders the nose difficult to evaluate. There is excellent richness and superb volume to the muscular and quite fleshy middle weight plus flavors that display plenty of stoniness on the very rich and mouth coating finish. This is a big wine even by the typically full-sized standards of the appellation yet there is no sense of heaviness or lack of vibrancy. Tasted: Jun 15, 2014. Drink: 2020+