2014 Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru, Philippe Pacalet, Burgundy

Philippe Pacalet

Located in Burgundy, France, Philippe Pacalet is renowned for his natural winemaking philosophy, emphasising minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery. Mentored by his uncle, Marcel Lapierre, a natural wine pioneer, Pacalet focuses on organic viticulture and producing wines that express their terroir.

Pacalet's wines are characterised by purity, elegance, and vibrant fruit expression. He operates a small-scale winery, selecting vineyard sites across Burgundy, including Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, and Puligny-Montrachet. By leasing vineyards and working with organic growers, Pacalet ensures high-quality, chemical-free grapes. His hands-off approach in the winery includes native yeast fermentation, avoiding additives, and using minimal sulfur dioxide to preserve the wine's natural flavours and aromas.

Philippe Pacalet's commitment to natural winemaking extends to his cellar techniques. He practices whole-cluster fermentation, enhancing the wine's structure and complexity with earthy and spicy notes. Despite minimal intervention, Pacalet's wines have notable ageing potential, developing depth and balance over time. His reds, aged in oak barrels, gain subtle nuances without losing their inherent character.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.