Aloxe Corton

Vibrant mid-purple in colour, there is a beguiling nose of cherry stone with some intriguing spice notes. The palate has good medium weight of red berry fruit and a pleasant, chalky structure that gives a long, palate- cleansing finish. Drink 2020-2025.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Franck Follin-Arbelet has created an estate in Aloxe-Corton where his ancestors used to have vineyards in the late 19th century, before they were subsequently sold off. As a child he spent holidays in the village, working part time in the vineyards and in due course marrying a local girl whose family had some vines – enough for Franck to set up as a vigneron in 1993, subsequently adding further vines through rental agreements. Franck Follin was caught between two emotions when we visited him in the autumn; his immediate thoughts were of the 2017 harvest, which represents the largest crop he has made, while we were there to taste his smallest ever vintage, 2016. With the exception of Corton- Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes and Romanée-St Vivant, everything was very badly hit by frost. Despite this, Franck is delighted with the quality, declaring 2016 a classic vintage with good concentration and great ageing potential.

From just under half a hectare of vines planted on limestone-rich soil, this is an elegant expression. There is a surprising density of strawberry fruit on the entry and the powdery tannins combine with crisp acidity to give a long and complex finish. Drink 2020-2028.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Franck Follin-Arbelet has created an estate in Aloxe-Corton where his ancestors used to have vineyards in the late 19th century, before they were subsequently sold off. As a child he spent holidays in the village, working part time in the vineyards and in due course marrying a local girl whose family had some vines – enough for Franck to set up as a vigneron in 1993, subsequently adding further vines through rental agreements. Franck Follin was caught between two emotions when we visited him in the autumn; his immediate thoughts were of the 2017 harvest, which represents the largest crop he has made, while we were there to taste his smallest ever vintage, 2016. With the exception of Corton- Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes and Romanée-St Vivant, everything was very badly hit by frost. Despite this, Franck is delighted with the quality, declaring 2016 a classic vintage with good concentration and great ageing potential.

Made with 40 percent whole bunches, the nose is intensely fruity and floral, with crushed strawberry and peony notes. The palate has Grand Cru concentration and intensity, with an elegance that covers the underlying steel. Drink 2024-2030.

David is delighted that he finally has a good crop for the first time in many years. Furthermore, he is very pleased with the quality and style of the reds, highlighting their clarity, definition and gourmandise, pointing out that these are airy, red-fruited and pure wines in the same mould as 2000, a vintage which drank well young and still tastes good today. He has extracted an extra level of colour and texture by working the fruit a little harder and carrying out a longer maceration than in the past few years, with impressive results.

One of the few of Franck’s vineyards not to have been severely damaged by frost, 2016 sees the introduction of a new parcel in Le Charlemagne, which had formerly been planted to Pinot Noir. The younger vines and sunny exposition add an extra dimension of exuberant peach and pineapple fruit to the more mineral, saline wine from the original parcel. The resultant blend gives a wine of even greater complexity and intensity. Drink 2022-2028.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Franck Follin-Arbelet has created an estate in Aloxe-Corton where his ancestors used to have vineyards in the late 19th century, before they were subsequently sold off. As a child he spent holidays in the village, working part time in the vineyards and in due course marrying a local girl whose family had some vines – enough for Franck to set up as a vigneron in 1993, subsequently adding further vines through rental agreements. Franck Follin was caught between two emotions when we visited him in the autumn; his immediate thoughts were of the 2017 harvest, which represents the largest crop he has made, while we were there to taste his smallest ever vintage, 2016. With the exception of Corton- Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes and Romanée-St Vivant, everything was very badly hit by frost. Despite this, Franck is delighted with the quality, declaring 2016 a classic vintage with good concentration and great ageing potential.

The 2014 is pale but glows with an exciting, lifted bouquet. Nothing heavy here, as once again the finesse and tension of the year shows through, with just a little green reduction. This has lovely energy without being a blockbuster, and beautiful minerals at the back.

Étienne de Montille began picking whites on 10th and reds on 13th September, relatively early. Despite the hail (worst in Pommard than Beaune, Volnay less) yields were slightly improved compared to 2013. The fruit was clean with small berries, and beautiful clusters, so they were able to continue with their usual programme of whole-bunch vinification in most instances. The details are given for each wine. They will be long lived wines.

Made from a blend of En Charlemagne and Le Corton, this has a fine, pale colour with a faint straw tint, and some green hints. The nose shows Grand Cru quality while remaining discreet. Subtle notes of ripe fruit, some peach and a little bit of banana give way to rich fruit and some powerful structure which does not yet quite knit together. There is a huge amount of weight here and this will all integrate.

This was a near-perfect harvest for Sylvain, with scarcely any need to sort the healthy grapes, and better volumes across the piece apart from a little hail in Ladoix. He has cut back on his négociant activities and all the wines below are from his own domaine. The whites are predictably beautiful this year and the reds much less reductive than in the past.

Pure and pale in colour, with a magical glowing intensity of white fruit, some lemon and lime notes and a great stony purity – indeed the precision of the detail is spectacular. This has lovely flesh, perfect balance and is very fine indeed.

Franck Follin-Arbelet reports a relatively small crop, after a difficult flowering (too hot and dry) and some hail in Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton. Nonetheless the grapes resisted the damp middle of the summer well and ripened properly at the end. Harvest began on 13th September and though the sorting table was needed to remove hail damage and dried grapes, the results here are very successful in 2014.

The crop here was small, partly due to hail and partly because of the old vines. This is rich, dark purple with a sensational density of fruit on the nose, huge volumes in the mouth and good oak integration. There’s dark raspberry and some black cherry, with acidity woven in absolutely as it should be. Magical.

Erwan Faiveley believes that 2014 would be regarded as a great vintage – if only 2015 had not come along to trump it. He feels that the changes which have taken place in the cellar since 2007 have had a discernible effect on the quality of Faiveley wines, while similar qualitative changes in the vineyard are only now bearing fruit. Here, balanced but restricted yields are the key.

Very dense purple with vibrant, heartwarming fruit, real density of the palate, a little black fruit but more deep red, some acidity, crunchy minerals. Very well put together, a wine which should sing in the medium to long term.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Bright intense purple, this is also extraordinarily intense on the palate, with vibrant black fruit almost bramble jelly, yet high acidity to maintain the necessary freshness. It should come together nicely in the medium term.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

A rich, generous colour that’s full, yet bright purple, with very intense fruit and a touch of graphite. It continues to black cherries, with some bright red fruit notes, and a huge mouthful through the mid palate, leading to an exquisitely stylish finish with some oak and very good length.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

The new era at Faiveley is now into its sixth vintage and the house style, which allows the fruit to express itself in a very seductive manner while enhancing the individual qualities of each terroir, has been safely established. Now the management is concentrating on reinforcing their supplybase with some crafty contracts and vineyard purchases in both Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. We may be able to offer more cuvées in the future, and though opportunities are clearly limited by the 2012 vintage circumstances, we have been well looked after this year.

With a typical imperial purple colour, this is most agreeably perfumed, elegant even, on the nose, then delivering Grand Cru density on the palate with beautiful balance. Perfumed light raspberry, this is very gracious yet with a steely thread. Drink 2022-2035.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

David Croix has used a small percentage of whole bunches this year which is unusual for him, but he likes this approach in years with darker, riper fruit. Yields were the same as in 2012, around 25 hl/ha. He began picking his reds on 7th September, bringing the whole crop in over just four days. The Corton vineyards, both planted with 50- to 60-year-old vines, provide a fascinating contrast in style.

Dense deep purple, the 2015 Vercots has a very striking weight of fruit, with some delightful smoky notes in amongst the red fruit. A few whole bunches were incorporated here. Long, stylish finish. Drink 2019-2024.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Franck Follin speaks cheerfully of very good harvest conditions, with useful rain in late July and occasionally in August. He started on 2nd September, but is less cheerful about the reduced crop after the hail from 2013 and ‘14. The wines have real stuffing yet with very good acidity and silky tannins. Franck thinks that the cool nights played a crucial role in keeping the wines fresh. 

Just two barrels were made this year, instead of six. It has a very attractive bouquet with some fresh pineapple notes and an impressive density, with ripe apples and a generous middle, leading to a fine-boned finish.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

As far as supply is concerned it’s a topsy turvy position in 2012. Overall, Ben has made plenty of wine but some cuvées are missing this year. The best volumes are with the Chassagne-Montrachet Premiers Crus, which are always a strong point chez Benjamin. From a standing start in 2007 Benjamin has made truly exciting progress, and has grown his business a little more quickly than expected as great opportunities have come his way. Yet each year he still doesn’t seem to have quite enough wine to satisfy demand. Wines marked † are bottled under stelvin screwcap closures.

A massive black-purple colour, the nose has hugely lively, rich, dark fruit, with even a tiny touch of eucalyptus. Very intense afterwards, this is holding up very well. There is maybe a touch of liquorice, even of chocolate, but a good thread of acidity through the middle maintains the freshness. Drink 2025-2035.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Two changes to note in the Faiveley style this year: the diminution of new wood, a trend they plan to develop further, and the use of 25 percent whole bunches in the vinification for 2015, whereas previously it was very rare to use any. They maintained their practice of punching down rather than pumping over, and the combination of these points leads to wines which are more rugged and structured than their recent vintages. The harvest was completed between 2nd and 11th September.

Opinions within the Berrys team were evenly divided between this wine and the Corton Rognet. Some preferred the elegant touch of the former but others were adamantly in favour of the majesty of the Clos du Roi. It has rich red fruit, supported by oak, a touch of chocolate at the back of the palate, and perfectly ripe tannins. This is a seamless and complete wine from Maison Camille Giroud.