Aloxe Corton Grand Cru

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.

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.

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.

The brilliantly rich and dense bouquet of this Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru is well supported by a wonderful intensity of fruit on the palate that sits perfectly on the cusp of red and black flavours. This is a really fabulous wine.

Displaying exceptionally good acidity, this wine is refreshing, shows a lovely structure and great length. The lower part of the vineyard gives a solid base to support the high notes from the hillside sector, and together it makes a sublime version of Corton.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director The resurgence begun by the trio of Erwan Faiveley, Bernard Hervé and winemaker Jérôme Flous, who arrived in 2007, is very apparent in this brilliant series of 2011 wines. They began the harvest on 31 August and picked for 9 days. There are some new wines this year from a contract for the whole production of an estate in Chambolle-Musigny and the Faiveley white wines from totally healthy grapes are particularly successful in 2011, perhaps the best we have seen from the new regime.

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Very deep black purple in colour. This is a very seductive style of Corton from Domaine des Croix, with real heart to the sumptuous fruit and a lovely long finish.

Rich purple with a lively, sumptuous dense fruit, this is very rich with a great crunch behind. Needs much more time. Massive with a good fresh finish but is just a bust a babe in arms at the moment.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Faiveley use three picking teams. Two started in the white wine vineyards on 28th September and were finished in four days. Then it was all hands to the red grapes. In general the harvest came in healthily, the hard work all year round in the vineyards paying dividends. We were once again very impressed.

Just three barrels made this year, and although it is raised in new wood this does not show, thanks to the concentration of the wine. A rich purple colour with very lively red fruit and some raspberry notes, filling out the middle palate vey well, good weight, attractive acid balance. Another excellent Corton, as in recent years. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Nicholas feels that the saving grace of the 2013 vintage was the amount of small berries caused by millerandage. He has opted for minimum extraction but longish cuvaison. The white wines have not been stirred because they were rich enough naturally. They are expected to be bottled in December and will all be under DIAM corks, apart from the Grands Crus. The reds will be bottled during February.

Medium purple, displaying a really brilliant, lively red fruit nose that is explosive and exciting. On the palate this is a middleweight Corton, with more elegance than the chunkier style which some offer.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Nicolas Potel has retained the majority of his regular contracts in 2012, though a couple are missing after the hail. Like everybody else, he has had to pay more for his grapes though, especially at the top end of the hierarchy. But as ever there are some delicious wines in the range, and at the lower end the prices are thoroughly competitive.

This has been a star selection in the cellar since the first vintage (2009). It is a beautiful wine: not too deep and dense with a little touch of oak and a fresh finish. Very stylish, this is a great wine at an amazing price.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Nicolas Potel has installed the négociant arm of his business on the Savigny side of town which gives him plenty of space for making and maturing the wines, along with logistics and office needs, while keeping his Domaine de Bellene operation completely separate in Beaune itself. The selling point here is consistent competence mixed with attractive pricing.

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This Corton is truly spectacular in 2010, with an incredible weight of wine on the back of the palate united with a seamless silky texture. There are some black fruit notes too and though both tannins and acidity are present, you hardly taste them because of the volume of fruit.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

The 2010 red wines are sublime here at Camille Giroud, responding well to David Croixs deft touch. His style is very much in tune with the vintage. The whites are very good too but there are fewer cuves this year.

With a concentrated nose, this is full-bodied and powerful but with fine fruit emerging at the end in some style. This is a wine to keep for up to a decade.