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  • Grand Cru Southern Solo: Cornu's 0.5 Hectares of Corton-Bressandes

    Grand Cru Southern Solo: Cornu's 0.5 Hectares of Corton-Bressandes

    Corton is the largest (and only) red Grand Cru vineyard of the southern Côte de Beaune. 160 hectares wrap around this giant hill with orientations facing every direction except north - a rarity for Burgundy's primarily east-facing limestone slope.

    Here, Edmond Cornu's 0.5 hectares represents the massive hill in its most micro scale.Cornu is the ultimate foil for this Grand Cru with a graceful and lithe essence, as opposed to the customarily fruit-forward, robust personality.

    Today, I'm happy to offer the 2015 & 2012 Edmond Cornu Corton-Bressandes, along with my house Bourgogne Rouge, the 2016 Barrigards at $29 per bottle.

    Of the two dozen + named parcels of Grand Cru Corton, it's Corton-Bressandes whose southeast-facing, mid-slope placement is the sweet spot. Receiving ideal sun exposure and drainage are the key factors setting Bressandes apart from the other 143 hectares. Cornu has long been a favorite of Burgundy purists for their understated style coming from villages like Savigny, Chorey, Ladoix, and Aloxe. But, Corton-Bressandes is undoubtedly the magnum opus of the domaine.

    Cornu's 0.5 hectare slice of Bressandes walks that pristine line between ripe, luscious fruit and that backbone of mineral structure that's an essential element in grand cru age-ability. Cornu's Corton-Bressandes is 100% de-stemmed and aged in 30% new French oak.

    Each year, importer Neal Rosenthal imports less than 400 bottles of Corton-Bressandes to the US. While Cornu's Bourgogne Rouge has been a house Burgundy of mine for many years, the Corton-Bressandes is obviously reserved for special occasions, as well as dark corners of the cellar. There's only one Grand Cru red of the Côte de Beaune, and Edmond Cornu's is my first recommendation vintage after vintage.
    Posted by Alexander Rosen

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