Bouchard Pere et Fils Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022

Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022
The sun-kissed 2022 vintage might have yielded a broad-shouldered Corton-Charlemagne, yet Bouchard’s lofty 320-350 m vines clinging to the forest rim of Le Corton turned ripe fruit into scintillating tension. Whole bunches were pressed for two hours, the free-run juice settling into seasoned pièces where native ferments guarded crystalline purity. Sixteen months in cask and a calm foudre finish preserved a torrent of lemon oil, salted almond and pulverised chalk. Barely 20 000 bottles exist and allocations vanish on release.

Producer: Bouchard Père & Fils
Vintage: 2022
Designation: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Parcels / Lieu-dit: Upper Le Corton, bordering the forest
Variety: Chardonnay
Average Vine Age: 40 years (estimated)
Soils & Exposure: Shallow yellow marl over limestone slab; east-facing at 320-350 m
Fermentation: Whole-bunch pressing; indigenous yeasts in oak pièces; full malolactic
Élevage: 16 months in French oak (25-30 % new) plus 3-4 months in large foudres; minimal SO₂; unfiltered
Alcohol: 14.5 % vol.
Total Production: 6000 bottles 

The Domaine
Founded in 1731 and now stewarding 130 ha across the Côte d’Or, Bouchard Père & Fils marries centuries-old bastions in Beaune with a gravity-flow vat-house sunk five metres underground in Savigny-lès-Beaune. Organic conversion is underway across the estate, whose jewel holdings include 3.9 ha of Corton-Charlemagne acquired in 1909, as well as Montrachet and Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus. Precision harvesting, meticulous sorting and patient élevage under the Château’s medieval ramparts yield wines that balance grand-cru power with aristocratic poise.