2021 Corton-Charlemagne, La Croix, Grand Cru, Pierre Girardin, Burgundy

2021 Corton-Charlemagne, La Croix, Grand Cru, Pierre Girardin, Burgundy

Product: 20218170628
Prices start from £603.50 per bottle (75cl). Buying options
2021 Corton-Charlemagne, La Croix, Grand Cru, Pierre Girardin, Burgundy

Buying options

Available for delivery or collection. Pricing includes duty and VAT.
Bottle (75cl)
Free delivery on orders over £200. Find out more

wine at a glance

Delivery and quality guarantee

About this WINE

Pierre Girardin

Pierre Girardin

Pierre Girardin is a fifth-generation winemaker who took over the family estate in 2017. Under his guidance, the Domaine has gained recognition for producing exceptional wines that reflect the terroir of Burgundy.

The Girardin family owns vineyards primarily in the Côte de Beaune, focusing on renowned appellations such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Santenay. These areas are known for producing some of the finest white wines in the world, particularly Chardonnay.

Pierre Girardin is known for his meticulous approach to winemaking. He practices sustainable viticulture, taking great care of his vineyards and working with low yields to ensure the concentration and quality of the grapes. In the cellar, he employs traditional winemaking techniques focusing on minimal intervention to allow the expression of the terroir.

The wines of Pierre Girardin are often described as elegant, precise, and expressive, showcasing the distinct characteristics of each vineyard: the white wines balance fruit flavors, minerality, and a beautiful texture. The red wines, primarily made from Pinot Noir, exhibit complexity, finesse, and a sense of place.

Find out more
Corton-Charlemagne

Corton-Charlemagne

There are two specific Charlemagne vineyards, En Charlemagne and Le Charlemagne, making up half the Corton-Charlemagne appellation, while white grapes grown in seven other vineyards (see list below) may also be sold as Corton-Charlemagne. As a result there can be a wide divergence in style between a south-facing location such as Pougets, which needs picking right at the start of the harvest, and the western slopes in Pernand-Vergelesses which might be picked several weeks later. The underlying similarity though comes from the minerality of the soil.

En Charlemagne lies at the border with Aloxe-Corton. The hillside faces west and fine, racy white wines can be made, but the Grand Cru appellation has been extended right up to the village of Pernand itself, by which time the exposition is north-west and the valley has become noticeably more enclosed. The final sector was only promoted in 1966, and probably should not have been.

Le Charlemagne is the absolute heartland of the appellation, facing south-west, thus avoiding the risk of over-ripeness which can afflict the vines exposed due south. If I had Corton-Charlemagne vines here I would be tempted to let the world know by labelling the wine as Corton-Charlemagne, Le Charlemagne.

Two producers to my knowledge also have some Pinot Noir planted here – Follin-Arbelet and Bonneau du Martray. Both make attractive wines but neither, to my mind, justifies Grand Cru status for red wine, lacking the extra dimensions of flavour one hopes for at the highest level. This is not the producers’ fault, but a reflection of the terroir.

Find out more
Chardonnay

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.

Find out more