Bouchard Père & Fils : Corton-Charlemagne Grand cru Domaine 2021

This is all muscle, no fat, with bracing acidity piercing flavors of pear, lemon, stone and baking spices. There's enough flesh for balance, and the lasting impression is of pastry and toasty oak accents. Should settle down in a year or so. Best from 2026 through 2033. 100 cases imported.

Lemony and bright, this wine exemplifies the virtues of whites of the 2021 vintage. The initial impression is citrus peel, but there is a nectarine sweetness, some richer apricot notes, a salty mineral overlay, and some lovely floral notes. The wine has plenty of structure and length, but the freshness is well-balanced with the impressive level of extract. This wine will be better after a few years in the bottle and should age for decades. Bouchard’s four-hectare plot in thin white marl soils at the top of the hill consistently delivers grapes of concentration and bracing tension.

The 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is very composed with clear delineation on the nose. It is tightly coiled initially, then finds its feet and blossoms with lemon thyme, orange pith and subtle hazelnut scents. The palate is well balanced with a silver bead of acidity. Precise and tensile, I appreciate the energy and sorbet-like freshness of this Grand Cru, leaving a dab of lemongrass on the aftertaste. This feels very assured and, in banal terms, very delicious—far better than its performance from barrel. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.

A gradual crescendo of white peach, citrus pith, white mushroom, English pea, and limestone aromas which eventually give way to a clean floral bouquet. The palate is currently quiet but demonstrates purity and balance. Cellar thru 2028 before revisiting.