Corton-Clos-du-Roi Grand Cru rouge 2021

Not power, but precision defines this Grand Cru. At 12.5% ABV, the 2021 remains lithe and vibrant, dry, with silky tannins and a mineral depth that never relies on oak dominance. François de Nicolay calls this house style neo-classical: restrained in oak, precise in fruit, with ageing potential spanning decades.

Clos du Roi is one of the climats on the Corton hill, where Chandon de Briailles also owns parcels in Bressandes and Maréchaudes. The estate, based in Savigny-lès-Beaune, farms 13.7 hectares across twelve sites in Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, held by the de Nicolay family since 1834 and now run by siblings François and Claude. Four horses, Diva, Epi, Farandole and Gipsy, pull the plough through the vine rows: the only estate in Burgundy to work its nearly 14 hectares entirely with horses.

Pure Pinot Noir, biodynamic since 2005, Demeter-certified since 2011. Whole-cluster fermentation has been standard practice since 2011, with the proportion varying by vintage. Claude de Nicolay, cellar master since 1988, works with a maximum of 15 to 20 percent new oak, 14 to 20 months of barrel ageing, unfined and unfiltered. The cellar dates back to the 12th century and was built by monks of the Abbey of Cîteaux.

Cherry and raspberry come through with clarity, joined by violet and an earthy spice from the whole clusters. The tannins are finely woven, with mineral drive carrying through the finish.

One worker per hectare, zero filtration, minimal- to no-sulphur bottlings as house practice. Against mildew, the estate adopted skimmed milk early on instead of copper sulphate, a method now permitted in certified organic viticulture.