Domaine Chanson
Corton Vergennes Grand Cru 2022
Corton Vergennes Grand Cru
Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru is one of Burgundy’s most singular and storied parcels. A tiny 0.6-hectare plot on a hump of the Corton hill, shared between Domaine Chanson and the Hospices de Beaune, it once belonged to Charles Gravier, Count of Vergennes. Counselor to Louis XVI, Vergennes signed the Treaty of Alliance with Benjamin Franklin, making France the first nation to formally recognize the United States of America. That history is baked into the land.
The vineyard is planted to Chardonnay on southeast-facing clay and limestone soils, a combination that drives both richness and precision in the fruit. The wine is aged for up to 18 months in French oak in Domaine Chanson’s 15th-century Bastion cellar. Bright gold in color, it opens with intense aromas of mango and peach, underlined by mineral and iodine notes. On the palate it is complex and broad-shouldered, with beautiful freshness, a well-balanced structure, and an elegant mineral finish.
VINEYARD
Corton-Vergennes is a 0.6-hectare parcel on the Corton hill in the Côte de Beaune, shared between Domaine Chanson and the Hospices de Beaune. It sits on a distinct hump of the hill with a southeast exposure, on clay and limestone soils that bring both structure and mineral precision to the fruit. The vineyard is planted to Chardonnay, one of relatively few white Grand Cru parcels on the Corton hill, which is predominantly red wine country. Its small size and singular position make it one of the most distinctive and coveted plots in all of Burgundy.
WINEMAKING
Hand-picked in small crates, followed by meticulous sorting. Whole bunch pressing. Fermentation in barrel at low temperature for 15 to 20 days, favoring aromatic complexity and freshness. Aged 17 months on the fine lees in French oak barrels, 20% new, ranging from one to six years old, in a 15th-century Bastion cellar. Careful selection of coopers and toast used to bring out the best in each terroir. Bottled according to the lunar calendar.
VINTAGE
The 2022 Burgundy vintage was defined by heat and drought, with about 16% less rainfall and 280 extra hours of sunshine than recent vintages. Despite the extreme weather, well-timed rains in August ensured balanced ripening. The harvest started early, around late August in the Côte de Beaune and early September in the Côte de Nuits and Chablis. The fruit was healthy, ripe, and of good quality, with both reds and whites showing freshness and balance, defying expectations for a hot vintage.
TASTING NOTE
Bright gold. Intense aromas of mango and peach, underlined by mineral and iodine notes. Complex and broad-shouldered on the palate, with beautiful freshness and a well-balanced structure. Elegant, mineral finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Seafood, foie gras, fish in a creamy sauce, crayfish, French cheeses.
Color
White
Blend %
100% Chardonnay
Appellation
Corton Vergennes Grand Cru
Alcohol
14.5%
Reviews
Wine Spectator - June 5, 2024 "Smoke and toasty oak aromas give way to flavors of peach, lemon pie, and stony mineral in this intense, powerful white, which settles down midpalate, ending in a sleek, well-defined finish. Spice and mineral accents linger."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Monthélie 1er Cru Le Clos Gauthey
Monthélie 1er Cru
Monthélie sits in the shadow of Volnay and Meursault, yet Le Clos Gauthey delivers wines of fantastic quality for a fraction of the price. West-facing on clay and limestone at the heart of the appellation, this Pinot Noir opens with violet, ripe red berries, spice, and a delicate vanilla note, with a silky, deep texture, elegant tannins, and a long, generous finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Champs Pimont
Beaune 1er Cru
Champs Pimont sits on the southern hill of Beaune, a 2-hectare parcel on the mid-slope with a south-east exposure on silt, marl, and limestone soils. This combination of position and soil gives the wine a distinctive elegance and purity, with the silt and marl contributing fine-grained tannins and a freshness that lifts the fruit. Pinot Noir from this parcel opens with delicate fragrances of violet and intense aromas of ripe black cherry, with a subtle vanilla note, a well-balanced and complex palate of tight texture, finely grained tannins, and a long, fruity finish.
Rully Blanc
Rully
Rully is one of southern Burgundy's most underrated appellations for Chardonnay, consistently delivering wines of real freshness and mineral precision. Domaine Chanson's 9.6-hectare holding spans south-east and south-west facing slopes on clay and limestone, producing a wine that is floral, precise, and well-balanced, with citrus, mineral character, and a pure, fresh finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons
Beaune 1er Cru
Les Teurons sits at the heart of the Domaine Chanson Premier Cru holdings, a 3.8-hectare parcel in the center of the Beaune territory with a south-east exposure on clay, limestone, and sand soils. The mix of soil types gives the wine both structure and a supple, generous quality, with the sand contributing the freshness and aromatic lift that defines Les Teurons. Pinot Noir from this celebrated parcel opens with intense aromas of ripe red berries, violet, and spice, leading to a brisk, complex, and deep palate of tight texture and a long, spicy finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves
Beaune 1er Cru
Les Grèves takes its name from the sandy, gravely soils of the Mont Battois hillside, where clay and sand produce Pinot Noir of remarkable purity. Domaine Chanson's 2-hectare parcel sits directly adjacent to the Clos des Fèves on an east-facing slope. Aged 20 months in French oak, it delivers ripe black berry fruit, a hint of vanilla, velvety texture, and well-integrated tannins on a long, fruity finish.
Mercurey 1er Cru Clos L'Eveque
Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy
Domaine Chanson Mercurey Premier Cru Clos L’Évêque comes from one of the most renowned Premiers Crus in Mercurey, named after the archbishop of Chalon sur Saône. The vineyard, located in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise, has clay and marl soils.
Mercurey 1er Cru
Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy
Domaine Chanson Mercurey Premier Cru is made from grapes sourced from carefully selected Premier Cru plots with East and South-East exposures, providing generosity and typicity true to the appellation. Mercurey, the highest-yielding appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise, produces nearly a quarter of its vineyards as Premier Cru. This wine has a bright ruby color with floral aromas and intense red fruit and pepper notes. It has a deep, tight texture, well-crafted structure, and a long finish with crunchy fruit notes.
Nuits-Saint-Georges
Nuits-St-Georges, Burgundy
The area of production is located in the commune of Nuits Saint Georges, in the heart of the Côte de Nuits. The grapes are sourced from selected plots of vineyard South of the village, at the border of the "Premier Cru" area.
Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 1er Cru
Beaune, Burgundy
Chanson is one of the major owners of Clos des Mouches with a vineyard of 4.5 hectares. Ideal location on the hill at the southern end of the vineyards of Beaune on a spur pointing toward Pommard. A plot of 2.5 hectares is planted with Pinot Noir on a limestone subsoil covered with clay.
