Domaine Bonneau du Martray : Corton-Charlemagne Grand cru 2011

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 from Domaine Bonneau du Martray

Tasting

Appearance

The colour is a pale gold with subtle green highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, with delicate notes of citrus (lemon, mandarin) alongside hints of peach and white flowers. With aeration, aromas of toasted hazelnut and cinnamon gradually emerge, testament to the wine's ageing potential.

Palate

The attack is lively and mineral, carried by a beautiful lemony tension. The mid-palate develops a fine, elegant texture, revealing ripe white-fleshed fruit and a saline, almost iodine-like minerality. The finish lingers for a long time on notes of hazelnut, almonds and chalk, with perfectly integrated acidity that lends purity and elegance to the whole.

Food and wine pairing

This Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 is ideally paired with grilled lobster or lobster in a creamy sauce, foie gras, poultry in cream sauce, or fine fish such as turbot with beurre blanc. It also pairs very well with mature soft-rind cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

This Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 is ideally served at a temperature of 12°C. Light aeration for thirty to sixty minutes before serving allows the wine to express its full complexity. This vintage can be enjoyed until around 2035.

An exceptional Burgundy Grand Cru with a remarkable mineral expression

The estate

The Domaine Bonneau du Martray has a history dating back to the eighth century, when Emperor Charlemagne bequeathed these vines to the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Andoche. Founded in 1835 through the marriage of Charles Bonneau du Martray and Eugénie Very, the estate today extends over eleven hectares of Grands Crus on the hill of Corton. Since January 2017, the property has belonged to the American entrepreneur Stanley Kroenke, who also owns the prestigious Californian estate Screaming Eagle. The domaine stands out as the only Burgundy producer devoted exclusively to Grands Crus, cultivated using certified biodynamic methods since 2016. Armand de Maigret serves as general manager, while Thibault Jacquet oversees day-to-day operations, with Emmanuel Hautus as oenologist since 2011.

The vineyard

The Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru from Domaine Bonneau du Martray covers 9.5 hectares spread across the hill of Corton, at an altitude of between 280 and 330 metres. The vineyard enjoys a westerly exposure that is unique in the Côte d'Or, allowing for prolonged sunshine in the afternoon and evening. The soils display remarkable geological diversity, with nine distinct facies: white limestone marls at higher altitudes, clays rich in iron oxides on the mid-slope, and deeper soils at the foot of the hillside. This pedological mosaic, combined with the forest cover of the Bois de Corton crowning the summit, creates exceptional microclimatic conditions. The vines, with an average age of fifty years, are cultivated according to biodynamic principles, without herbicides or synthetic fertilisers, with yields deliberately limited to around 40 hectolitres per hectare.

The vintage

The 2011 vintage in Burgundy began with an unusually warm spring, bringing forward budburst and flowering. Episodes of spring frost affected certain areas, followed by a cool, damp summer, particularly in August, which created significant disease pressure. These conditions called for rigorous canopy management and precise timing of the harvest. At Domaine Bonneau du Martray, the Chardonnay harvest took place from 1 to 5 September, yielding grapes of excellent ripeness and composition despite the climatic challenges.

Winemaking and ageing

The harvest of the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 was carried out by hand, plot by plot, according to the optimal ripeness of each sector. After a light crushing, the grapes are gently pressed and the must undergoes settling before fermentation. Vinification takes place through spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, starting in stainless steel tanks and then continuing in French oak barrels. Each plot is vinified separately. Ageing lasts twelve months in barrels, of which 25 to 30% are new oak, allowing malolactic fermentation to proceed naturally. After a first racking and blending of the different plots, the wine continues its ageing on fine lees through a second winter. A final racking precedes a two-month stay in stainless steel tank for homogenisation, before bottling carried out during a waning moon, in accordance with biodynamic principles.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay