2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton-Charlemagne

The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne is the debut release from vineyards DRC controls through a long-term lease with Bonneau de Martray. It's a gorgeous wine packed with Charlemagne signatures. Lemon peel, white flowers, sage, mint and crushed rocks are all finely knit together, supported by insistent minerality and admirable delineation. I love the energy, precision and cut here. Needless to say, it will be fascinating to see what DRC does here. The 2019 is impressive to be sure, but I have to think that even more will be possible here in the coming years.

AB-S again: ‘A moment in history. This is the first vintage of the Domaine’s Corton-Charlemagne, a tiny 2.9 hectare holding leased in 2018 from Domaine Bonneau du Martray and which lies in the two greatest locations, Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton) and En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses). And what a wine it is. Golden yellow in colour. The nose is quite beautiful with creamily rich but zesty fruit, with an ethereal, haunting mineral stony perfume. The palate is silken on entry, yet lush but the sensuality is refined with a delectable lean grip and fan of freshness and light to the finish. How wonderful to begin this chapter with such a vintage and with such a wine. Ridiculously exciting to see this appellation wearing the Domaine’s label for the first time.’ First vintage. Picked a week later than the neighbours, between 22 and 25 September – quite some nerve! No information about vine age given but the yield was apparently 26 hl/ha (2 hl/ha more than the Domaine’s Montrachet) and 506 cases were produced – considerably more than the 184 cases of Le Montrachet 2019 whose >60-year-old vines were picked on 15 September. Rich nose with some real sweetness on the palate and lovely creamy texture with great finesse and freshness on the finish after grand cru weight of fruit. Lovely chiselled richness. Great purity and definitely worthy of grand cru status – unlike so many wines from this appellation.