2015 Corton Charlemagne

The 2015 Charlemagne Grand Cru put in a vexing performance after promising showings in barrel and just after bottling, but maybe I caught this in an awkward phase. The heavy-handed use of new oak on the nose obscures terroir expression. The palate is simple, displaying lightly honeyed citrus fruit, moderate acidity but very simple fruit flavors and a lack of terroir expression on the finish. A decent Chardonnay but not a decent Charlemagne. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

The 2015 Charlemagne Grand Cru is attractively delicate and youthfully reserved, wafting from the glass with notes of green apple, lemon cream and white flowers, more exotic notions of persimmon and spice emerging with extended aeration. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, taut and racy, with a bright line of acid, good concentration, and a long, vibrant finish. I expect more texture and dimension will emerge with a few years of bottle age, as the balance and persistence are very good.