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Corton is a grand cru appellation covering the slopes of the Montagne de Corton hill in the Côte de Beaune district of Burgundy. It is the largest grand cru vineyard in Burgundy, and is one of only two where wines are made from both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (the other is the Musigny vineyard). Corton's wines were a favorite of the Emperor Charlemagne, who lends his name to the white wines made on the western side of the hill.
Vineyard area
The vineyard covers 145 hectares (360 acres) of land across the communes of Aloxe-Corton, Ladoix-Serrigny and Pernand-Vergelesses, which surround the hill. As in Chablis' grand cru vineyards, any mention of the Corton title on a label is almost always followed by the name of the specific climat where the wine originated.
Grape Varieties
While it is generally accurate to say Corton Grand Cru rouge is made from Pinot Noir and Corton Grand Cru blanc is produced from Chardonnay, officially things are a little more flexible – in part due to Pinot Noir's well-documented proclivity to mutate into Pinot Blanc. This flexibility, while legal, it is rarely pushed to the limits by producers.
Corton Grand Cru rouge
Predominantly covered by Pinot Noir, appellation regulations also allow for minor quantities of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. This allowance is found across many appellations in Burgundy's Côte d'Or heartland.
In total, Pinot Noir must make up a minimum of 75 percent of any red wine plot. There are no stipulations on proportions in the final wines although by inference Pinot Noir will constitute roughly 75 percent (or above – and, in most cases, around 100 percent) of any Corton Grand Cru red wine.
Corton Grand Cru blanc
Corton Grand Cru blanc, while in most cases almost entirely composed of Chardonnay, can also contain a minor proportion of Pinot Blanc. In the vineyard, Pinot Blanc cannot present more than 10 percent of the vines in a white wine-producing site, while its presence in any blend cannot exceed 30 percent.
Geography and terroir
With the variation in terroir around the Corton hill, the differences between these climats are noticeable. The Perrières vineyard, for instance, is known for its fine reds, Les Vergennes for its flinty whites and the reds of Clos du Roi for their balance of power and elegance.
The hill of Corton itself is a large outcrop of limestone, set slightly apart from the main Côte d'Or escarpment. It marks the northern end of the Côte de Beaune and the finish of the vineyard-strewn plain that flows north from Beaune.
The top of the lozenge-shaped hill is covered in dense woodland, known as the Bois de Corton. Rumours surfaced several years ago that the woodland was to be sold for the planting of further vineyards, alarming many producers who feel this could radically alter the mesoclimate on the hill, although this never eventuated.
Vines occupy the slopes of the hill for almost its entire circumference, although the grand cru rating covers only the southern half, sweeping majestically around from due east to due west.
The eastern side is a touch warmer – being more exposed to the morning sunshine – and richer in the marlstone that is so well suited to Pinot Noir. Corton is much better known as a producer of red wines, coming from 90 hectares (222 acres) of Pinot Noir.
Corton blanc
Parcels of Corton blanc, roughly speaking, sit halfway up the slope of vineyards (Chardonnay planted in the parcels closest to the trees qualifies as Corton-Charlemagne). In both zones, the Pinot Noir is clasified as Corton.
At the bottom of the hill sits a band of Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru sites, then village level plots.
It is generally accepted that the northern and western sides of the hill are devoted to white wines, and the south and east to reds, but this is not entirely accurate. There are Chardonnay vines planted in several of the south-facing Corton climats – most notably Les Vergennes and Les Languettes. It is from these vines that a number of Corton blanc wines are produced.
In all, Corton blanc (as distinct from the adjacent Corton-Charlemagne and Charlemagne) is produced from just 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of Chardonnay dotted across the hillside.
Flavor profile
The classic Corton red wine is rich and relatively tannic, meaning that it is quite austere in its youth but develops well with age. Corton tasting notes often refer to flavors of violets, forest berries, leather and earthy notes.
Corton-Charlemagne is considered to be one of the finest of Burgundy's white wines and is famous for its combination of fruit flavors (figs and baked pears) and mineral character (flint) – the latter being particularly prevalent in wines from the cooler western slopes.
The wines from Corton are highly respected and can achieve high prices, although are not quite so prestigious as the wines from Montrachet or Romanée-Conti.
History
Corton was given its grand cru status in 1937 – around the same time as most of Burgundy's other famous grand cru sites.
However, Corton's reputation goes back much further and wines were first made here during Charlemagne's rule, which ended in AD814. Charlemagne is reputed to have ordered the first white grape plantings on the western side of the hill – the idea being that the wines would not unattractively stain his white beard.
Earlier plantings were based on Aligoté, with Chardonnay coming in later. Today, white wines from Corton rank among the world's more expensive, although they do not quite reach the prices commanded by their Montrachet counterparts.
Corton's vines were tended by the monasteries in the area from the Middle Ages, and much of the vineyard was confiscated during the French Revolution and auctioned off.
Today, the vineyard is owned by a number of famous producers including Louis Latour, the largest landholder, as well as Bonneau du Martray, Bouchard Père et Fils and the Hospices de Beaune.
