Corton-Charlemagne
Corton-Charlemagne is one of the most renowned white wine appellations. It is situated in the Cote de Beaune region of Burgundy. Corton-Charlemagne became a Grand Cru on July 31 1937 and only produces Chardonnay. These 52-hectare vineyards are dispersed between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, on the steep Corton hill slopes that face west and south.
Corton-Charlemagne wines : the best wines from Corton-Charlemagne
Corton-Charlemagne is one of the most renowned white wine appellations. It is situated in the Cote de Beaune region of Burgundy. Corton-Charlemagne became a Grand Cru on July 31 1937 and only produces Chardonnay. These 52-hectare vineyards are dispersed between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, on the steep Corton Hill slopes that face west and south.
Grapes in wines from Corton-Charlemagne
The terroir of Corton-Charlemagne
The Corton-Charlemagne vineyards are situated in the highest areas of the Corton Hill, with steep grads of 20-23%. Underpinned by limestone and rendzinas the soils are primarily clay-rich marls that range in color from yellow to ochre and brown. Chardonnay ripens optimally thanks to its special geological composition and the unusual south-west orientation, creating wines with exceptional structure and ageing potential.
The history of Corton-Charlemagne
Emperor Charlemagne gave the territory to the Saint-Andoche de Saulieu abbey in 775, marking the beginning of Corton-Charlemagne in the eighth century. Legend has it that one of Charlemagne's wifes insisted on planting white grapes so that red wine would no longer discolour his white beard.
Famous Corton-Charlemagne producers
After Le Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne is the second most well-known white wine in Burgundy. Its pale gold wines are valued for their complexity and elegance and their colour deepens with age. Corton-Charlemagne continues to be a standard for Chardonnay around the world thanks to the production of some of the appellation's most sought-after wines by leading producers like Domaine Bonneau du Martray and Louis Latour.