2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

Here was another winery where I had to navigate roadworks to enter the gates (it’s as if the entirety of Burgundy is being dug up). Proprietor François de Nicolay welcomed me with his three dogs. "It was not a cool winter as usual, and it was an early spring. Flowering went well, although the whites suffered a little frost, which is why the yields are low. The summer was hard because we lacked water in August. The ripeness came early and we started picking on August 17. We did not have to do a big selection, as we had no problem with mildew and oïdium. The fermentation was easy. There was a high level of alcohol, just under 2019 but with a better pH. Maybe that is why the wines still feel young at this stage compared to the 2019s. For some cuvées, we will conduct a longer élevage." This year, I preferred the reds to the whites, the latter feeling not quite as chiseled and tensile as I found the 2019s last year. But the reds have much to offer; they are classical in style, very respectful of their terroirs and full of energy.