Domaine Faiveley : Corton Grand cru "Clos des Cortons Faiveley" Monopole 2017

This red starts out generous, with a supple texture buffering vivid acidity and firm tannins, allowing the cherry, strawberry, blood orange and spice flavors to star. Shuts down on the finish, delivering more structure than fruit. Licorice and sandalwood accents come into play. Best from 2023 through 2045. 300 cases imported.

The super fresh sour-cherry nose leads you into a very concentrated and focused red with plenty of mineral and graphite character. The tannins are a shade firmer than in the other Grand Crus from Faiveley, but it was always that way. Deep, dark and cool finish that goes on and on. Better from 2023.

Cask sample. Mid cherry red. Smells ripe, sweet and generous in its red fruit. A touch peppery. Gorgeous harmony between ripe, fresh, generous fruit and a well‑modulated structure. Succulent, fine, mildly chewy, and it seems remarkably accessible even now. Very, very long. (JH)

The 2017 Corton Clos des Cortons-Faiveley Grand Cru has a very well-defined bouquet of vivacious red fruit, sous-bois and light rose petal scents; there is a slight reduction here. The palate is grippy and lightly spiced, with good red fruit intensity, but does not quite deliver the expected weight and concentration on the finish. This is a bit conservative compared to the Clos des Marechaudes from Domaine du Pavillon. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Supported by a supple, vibrant fruit profile, the Corton confirms its status as a truly great wine: breadth and fullness of flavour, deeply set tannins, seamlessly integrated oak ageing, a sleek and energetic finish, and a hint of candied raspberry. A magnificent bottle!