Grapes: 100% Chardonnay

At Maison Drouhin, a legacy in Burgundy stretching back to 1880, the focus always rests on terroir and timeless expression. Their Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2023 embodies that spirit: a wine where power, finesse and soil converge. The 2023 vintage, shaped by warm days and cool nights, yields a Chardonnay that speaks with clarity, definition and depth.

Gentle pressing, native-yeast fermentation and ageing in fine French oak (around 30% new) for 18–21 months ensure the wine develops without losing its tension. The structure is refined and the texture polished—the goal being nuance, not weight.

Aromas of golden apple, pear skin, white flower and almond open into deeper notes of honeyed citrus and white stone. On the palate, an electric seam of minerality carries orchard fruit and fine oak spice into a long, composed finish. This is grand white Burgundy: built to age, yet delivering immediate appeal.

James Suckling: 97 points