Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru „Les Valozières“ rouge 2019

Wine Description for Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru „Les Valozières“ rouge 2019 by Chandon de Briailles

Colour & Appearance

Luminous cherry red with a vibrant violet rim – youthful, dense and full of great promise.

Nose

This wine demands patience and humility. Initially it presents itself as closed, almost reductive – a typical hallmark of great Burgundy in its youth. With time and air, it opens to a complex bouquet of tobacco, bay leaf and roasted nuts, underpinned by dry undergrowth and austere foliage. Gradually, a sensual yet ever-discreet fruit emerges: ripe cherries, red berries and a hint of plum. A wine that does not reveal its hand immediately.

Palate

On the palate, juicy austerity and pronounced herbal spice dominate. The fruit deliberately remains in the background – the true leading role is taken by an impressive, mature tannin structure that combines power and structure in equal measure. Broad-shouldered and muscular, as one expects from the finest vineyard sites of the Corton massif – and yet fine, chiselled contours in the red fruit and a vibrant, precise acidity hint at what this wine still has to become.

Finish

Long, herbal-spicy and persistent. The finish confirms the potential: mineral, taut and suffused with an energy that points to a great future. A minimum of five years, better ten years of cellar time is no exaggeration.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Les Valozières lies in the heart of the Côte de Beaune, wedged between the Grand Cru parcels Corton Bressandes and Corton Les Paulands – a privileged neighbourhood. The clay-rich topsoil over limestone-bearing subsoil with flint inclusions gives the wine its characteristic combination of depth, minerality and structure. The small 0.28-hectare parcel was planted in 1987 – the vines have long since reached their maturity.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Pinot Noir, vinified with all the craftsmanship and philosophy of Chandon de Briailles: 100% whole bunches, spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats, transfer by gravity into barriques and tonneaux with minimal new oak. Around 14 months of ageing without racking, bottling with minimal sulphur straight from the barrel. A vinification that aims for maximum transparency of terroir – and that is precisely what you get in the glass.

Food Pairing Recommendations

The wine’s robust structure pairs well with substantial dishes: Tournedos Rossini is a classic, indeed timeless pairing. Equally recommended: a Gruyère and bacon soufflé with its savoury spice or – for those open to surprises – roasted aubergines marinated in miso and honey, whose umami depth wonderfully envelops the wine’s tannins.

Special Features

A wine for connoisseurs who understand patience as a virtue. The 2019 vintage in Burgundy combines maturity and freshness in a rarely successful manner – and Chandon de Briailles succeeds in capturing these qualities in one of the smallest and finest Premier Cru terroirs of the Côte de Beaune. Not a wine for quick enjoyment, but a wine for the eternity of the cellar.