Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru - 2011
Philippe Pacalet
- Region
- France » Burgundy » Côte d'Or » Côte de Beaune » Corton-Charlemagne AOC
- Type
- white still, dry
- Producer
- Philippe Pacalet
- Vintage
- 2011
- Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Alcohol
- 13
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
Ratings
The nose kicks off with the earthy blend of beeswax and walnut, before throwing in a curveball with hints of seafood. Taking a sip, there's buttery richness, a bit of green apricot's tartness, and the subtle char of toast. Its mineral backbone is a steady hand guiding you through these flavour twists and turns, ending on a sesame afternote. The balance? Almost spot on – and for a 2011, that's no small feat. It wraps up with a tropical nod of canned pineapple. And yes, I'm kicking myself for blindly rating such a posh wine so high. My wallet might not forgive me!
Philippe Pacalet
Philippe Pacalet, a distinguished figure in the natural wine movement, has made a profound impact on Burgundian winemaking. Despite his winemaking lineage dating back to 1780, Pacalet did not inherit land. Instead, he became a 'micro-négociant', renting vineyards in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, crafting wines in a facility acquired from the De Montille family in Beaune. Influenced by his uncle, Marcel Lapierre, and the teachings of Jules Chauvet, Pacalet has been a passionate advocate for natural wine, managing Domaine Prieuré Roch and crafting wines in Château Rayas and Domaine Leroy.
Pacalet's philosophy is grounded in minimal intervention, focusing on expressing each terroir's unique characteristics. He eschews industrial yeasts and minimizes sulphur use, opting for whole bunch fermentation and believing that the stems' ripeness is integral to the grapes' readiness. His meticulous approach includes hand harvesting and fermenting with natural yeasts on the grape skin, wooden vat fermentation, and low new oak usage to maintain the wine's delicate fruit and floral characters. His wines are unfiltered and unfined, bottled manually, emphasizing authenticity and a vivid expression of each plot.