Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru rouge 2018

Wine description for Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru rouge 2018 by Chandon de Briailles

Colour & Appearance

A slightly translucent, noble garnet red.

Nose

The 2018 vintage reveals a dense, highly complex tapestry of dark forest berries, ripe plums and juicy blood oranges. These are joined by floral notes of peonies, damp forest floor, undergrowth and a touch of smoke and bacon, supported by a fine chalky note.

Palate

On the palate, this Grand Cru is pleasantly full-bodied and powerful, yet always maintains an aristocratic elegance. The dense core of dark fruit melts together with fine-grained, supple tannins and a lively acid structure. Meaty nuances, some undergrowth and a fine spiciness provide enormous tension and vibrancy.

Terroir & Origin

The legendary Grand Cru site Les Bressandes is prominently situated in the middle of the Corton hill. The Domaine’s 1.12 hectares of parcels are characterised by Bajocian and Oxfordian limestone with pebbles, clay and a distinctive iron content, which lends the wine its fine structure.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Single-varietal Pinot Noir from vines averaging 35 years of age. The grapes were spontaneously fermented in wooden vats with 40 to 50% whole bunches. Ageing took place over 14 months by gravity in barriques and tonneaux with a minimal proportion of new wood. Bottling was carried out unfiltered and with minimal added sulphur directly from the barrel.

Food Pairings

Excellent with marinated and caramelised rack of lamb, cured duck breast with ratatouille and chorizo or a vegetarian baked quinoa with courgette, aubergine and Comté.

Special Features

This historic estate works strictly biodynamically (Demeter certified) and ploughs the soils on the Corton entirely with its own horses. The wine embodies the “neo-classical” style of the house: unfined, extremely clear in fruit and with an ageing potential for many decades.