Vincent Girardin : Corton-Charlemagne Grand cru 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022 Vincent Girardin

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a brilliant pale yellow, enhanced by subtle green hues typical of its youth.

Nose
Complex and intense, the nose reveals aromas of ripe golden apple and white peach, intertwined with notes of exotic fruits such as pineapple and passion fruit. This fruity backbone is underpinned by a pronounced minerality, evoking wet chalk, crushed oyster shell and flint, rounded out by delicate touches of hazelnut, almond, citrus zest and butter.

Palate
The attack is full and round, offering generous volume and a lovely textural richness. The palate unfolds flavours of brioche and vanilla, perfectly balanced by a powerful natural acidity that brings freshness and brightness. The mid-palate, intense and concentrated, reveals notes of toasted almond, gunflint and lemon zest. Free of any aggressive tannins, the finish is exceptionally long and mineral, lingering on hints of citrus peel, beeswax and chalk.

Food and Wine Pairing

This great white wine pairs wonderfully with refined dishes such as foie gras, prized shellfish (lobster, crayfish, crab) or white meats and poultry served in a creamy sauce. It also pairs remarkably well with blue-veined cheeses as well as contemporary dishes such as a courgette and squid gratin or seafood in a complex broth.

Service and Storage

To fully appreciate this Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. Built for long-term ageing, this wine requires patience in the cellar to reveal its full complexity and can be enjoyed from 2025 through to around 2040.

Other Characteristics

This wine has an alcohol content of 13.5%, reflecting balanced ripeness without excessive sugar accumulation.

The Mineral Expression and Complexity of a White Burgundy Wine

The Estate

Founded in 1980 by Vincent Girardin in Santenay, at the heart of Burgundy, the house quickly established itself through the quality of its wines. Initially owning just a few hectares, the estate moved to Meursault in 1994. Since 2012, Jean-Pierre Nié has been the current owner of the estate, ensuring the continuity of its exacting quality standards. Still supported by winemaker Eric Germain, the estate continues to uphold a philosophy centred on the pure expression of terroir, minimal intervention in the cellar and sustainable viticultural practices of "Très Haute Couture".

The Vineyard

The Corton-Charlemagne appellation occupies the uppermost part of the Corton hill, at an altitude ranging between 280 and 330 metres. This terroir, spread across the communes of Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix-Serrigny, benefits from a complex geology dating back to the Jurassic period. The marl soils, rich in yellow, ochre and brown clay, alternate with limestone layers. Cooled by north-easterly winds, this site enjoys a unique microclimate that shields the vines from water stress.

The Vintage

2022 began with a mild, dry winter, followed by a mild spring that encouraged early flowering and spared the vines from frost. After welcome rainfall at the end of June, the summer proved particularly hot, dry and sunny. Rainfall in mid-August brought the necessary moisture ahead of a harvest that began on 25 August under exceptional sunshine.

Winemaking and Aging

After careful optical sorting, the grapes destined for this Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022 are gently pressed. Fermentation is carried out exclusively using indigenous yeasts. True to a minimal-intervention approach, ageing takes place on fine lees for 14 months in French oak barrels, with a measured proportion of new wood. Bottling is then carried out in accordance with the lunar calendar.

Grape Variety

This wine is made exclusively from Chardonnay.