The Bouchard holdings in Corton-Charlemagne have again provided a sublime expression of the white wine from the Corton hill. As elsewhere, the house vinifies different parts of the hill separately. The lower part of the slope (just above the Pinot Noir) provides material that is open and forward with accessible notes of ripe apples and buttered popcorn, while a second part from further up the slope, on white marl soils, is very mineral and very fresh. This is a provisional score, but the final blend should be riveting.(CC)

Tasting of grilled hazelnuts, apple peels, patisserie and crunchy pear, this is a stylish, vivid white. Sturdy in structure, Weber pointed out that this could be called Le Corton, which might be truer to its style. Its lithe, regal poise has less flesh than most CCs. There are 8 ha of Chardonnay in this windy, east-facing plot. It's so chilly here that it tends to be one of the last parcels harvested chez Bouchard.

The 2023 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a complex bouquet with citrus fruit, light peppermint notes and hints of honeysuckle and brioche. The palate is well balanced with a satisfying, slightly honeyed texture counterbalanced by the keen line of acidity. This is very harmonious and very poised, with a dash of spice toward the finish. Excellent.(NM(