Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021 Domaine Matrot | Burgundy

From the heights of the Corton hillside, Domaine Thierry and Pascale Matrot 's Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from an historic parcel perched at an altitude of almost 300 meters, facing southwest on a steep slope. Planted on very chalky, poor, stony soils, the forty-year-old Chardonnay vines give birth to one of Burgundy's most powerful, taut and enduring Grand Crus. This cuvée, with its chiselled freshness and slow ripening, is a profoundly noble interpretation of this mythical grand cru.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: This Corton-Charlemagne from Domaine Matrot is impressive in its precisely defined aromatic power and mineral verticality. With the straightforwardness carved out of limestone that is expected of the Chardonnay grape in this unique terroir, it is a white that will keep for a long time. It will take at least 7 to 10 years of patience for it to reveal all its complexity, but the brilliance and structure are already there.

The nose immediately gives a complex impression of nobility. The aromatic palette of Chardonnay expresses itself with purity. Citrus zest and juicy white and yellow fruit mingle with the tender butteriness of 100% malolactic fermentation. Tense, subtle and deep, the second nose is dominated by notes of gunflint, flinty nuances and a hint of verbena. The wine is more mineral than opulent, and still on the cusp despite its already remarkable intensity.

The palate is energetic, marked by tracing acidity and a very assertive limestone minerality. Between finesse and aromatic power, a persistent body unfolds with rigor and restrained power. The balance between tension and density on the finish, with its breathtaking length, heralds a grandiose evolution, while preserving a salivating, deeply rocky allongevity. The purity of the whole is typical of great wines. A Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru of freshness and precision, embodying Domaine Matrot's mastery of the grandeur of a terroir sculpted for great ageing.