Méo-Camuzet : Corton Grand cru "Clos Rognet" Domaine 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Corton Grand Cru "Clos Rognet" Domaine 2021 from Méo-Camuzet

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays an intense, deep ruby hue, enhanced by garnet nuances characteristic of Corton wines.

Nose

The aromatic bouquet expresses beautiful complexity with aromas of ripe dark fruits, notably black cherry and blueberry. Floral touches of violet accompany these fruity aromas, while hints of spice and wood add an extra dimension to the ensemble.

Palate

On the palate, this wine captivates with its silky, refined texture. The attack reveals a lovely breadth, followed by a supple structure that favors finesse and fruit expression. The remarkable balance and lingering finish attest to the meticulous work carried out both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The finale extends with elegance, free of excessive roughness.

Food and wine pairings

This Corton Grand Cru pairs magnificently with feathered game such as duck à l'orange, quail with grapes, or partridge. It also brilliantly accompanies furred game like hare or venison. High-quality red meats, particularly venison fillet, make a classic pairing. Well-aged cheeses with powerful flavors, such as Époisses or Munster, find an excellent balance with the structure and minerality of this wine.

Serving and storage

Despite a certain charm in its youth, the Corton Grand Cru "Clos Rognet" Domaine 2021 boasts excellent aging potential. Its keeping ability is remarkable, sometimes surpassing the grands crus of the Côte de Nuits in longevity. The 2021 vintage combines low alcohol levels with unprecedented freshness, encouraging a slow and harmonious evolution.

A Corton grand cru combining smoothness and richness

The estate

Founded in 1983 with its first bottling under its own name, Méo-Camuzet is rooted in a family winemaking tradition dating back to the early seventeenth century in Burgundy. Located in Vosne-Romanée, the domaine today manages approximately eighteen hectares of vines across the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Led since 1989 by Jean-Nicolas Méo, representing the fourth family generation, the domaine carries on the legacy of Étienne Camuzet, an emblematic figure of Burgundian viticulture and a key player in the creation of the Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée. Trained by the legendary Henri Jayer, Jean-Nicolas Méo has developed an approach combining respect for terroir with technical innovation, producing wines that express finesse, structure, and authenticity.

The vineyard

Clos Rognet is located in Ladoix-Serrigny, in the northern part of the Corton appellation, the only red grand cru of the Côte de Beaune. This plot of just 45 ares benefits from a full east-facing exposure on the hill of Corton, promoting optimal ripening of Pinot Noir. Enclosed by its ancient walls, it enjoys effective microclimatic protection. The soil is of medium depth with a light structure, resting on a clay-limestone subsoil blended with sand and silt. The vines, planted in the 1920s using an early massal selection, produce exemplary small cylindrical clusters. The century-old age of these vines, combined with the exceptional quality of the terroir, creates ideal conditions for crafting wines with remarkable aging capacity.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy was marked by a spring frost episode of rare intensity affecting the entire French vineyard. The milder conditions that followed encouraged flowering in late May, before particularly rainy months of June and July. Weather instability was observed between mid-July and mid-August, then the saving rains of late August allowed for optimal ripening. The low yields resulting from the frost promoted concentration and phenolic maturity in the grapes. The harvest took place under sunny conditions, revealing berries of remarkable generosity and balance.

Winemaking and aging

The winemaking of the Corton Grand Cru "Clos Rognet" Domaine 2021 follows a minimally interventionist approach. The grapes, hand-harvested in small crates, are carefully sorted before complete destemming without crushing. After vatting and cooling, a cold maceration of four to five days fixes the anthocyanins. Alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts and lasts approximately one week, with pumping over and manual punching down. The total vatting period extends over sixteen to eighteen days. Aging takes place in fine or very fine-grained French oak barrels, imparting softness and elegance to the wine. Malolactic fermentation begins in spring. Total aging lasts seventeen to eighteen months on lees. The wine is bottled by gravity, without fining or filtration, thus preserving all its organoleptic qualities.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir