Corton Grand Cru "Le Rognet" Vieilles Vignes AOC 2023

"I'm not looking for colour or tannin," says Bruno Clavelier; what he seeks is transparency and finesse. That is exactly how this Pinot Noir is drawn: clearly defined dark cherry, violet and a mineral spice, taut in structure and silky in texture. A Grand Cru that reveals the place rather than the winemaker.

Le Rognet on the Corton hill near Aloxe-Corton is the only Grand Cru among this domaine's 6.5 hectares. The iron-rich soil gives the wine mineral spice and longevity, with roots reaching deep into the limestone subsoil. Many vines date from the 1930s and 1940s, planted after the phylloxera catastrophe, when Joseph Brosson rebuilt the domaine plot by plot. The oldest are now over 80 years old and naturally yield little fruit.

Pinot Noir, almost exclusively the traditional Burgundian clone Pinot Noir Fin. The domaine has been organically certified (Ecocert) since 1999 and has worked fully biodynamically since 2005. Fermentation takes place in open, conical oak vats with indigenous yeasts and up to 30 percent whole clusters, over around three weeks, with hand punch-downs instead of mechanical extraction. After malolactic fermentation in spring, the wine matures for 16 to 18 months in barrels of Tronçais and Allier oak, one third of which are new. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, with minimal sulphur under protective gas.

Juicy red and dark fruit, fine-grained tannin, vibrant acidity and a noticeable mineral spice that carries through the long finish. Decant and allow time to open.

Partridge or wood pigeon, duck breast with pepper crust, beef fillet in red wine jus or a Burgundy-style beef stew. With porcini and morels its earthy side comes through, and to finish, aged Comté or Époisses.

13.5% vol., dry. The Vieilles Vignes designation, found on all of the domaine's wines, reflects the vine heritage established by Joseph Brosson from 1935 onward.