Corton-Charlemagne is the sole Grand Cru made by Domaine Coche-Dury of Meursault, and it comes from under a hectare of vines. The 2002 is now more than two decades old, a mature, mineral bottle to open in the near term.
About This Wine
Coche-Dury first made Corton-Charlemagne in 1986 from a plot of about a third of a hectare, leased from an old Burgundian family and already planted with mature Chardonnay. That parcel is the source of the 2002. The domaine bought it outright in 2012 together with a second plot, taking the holding to 0.88 hectares. 2002 was a healthy, well-balanced season, helped by a drying north wind, though Jean-François noted more rain showers around Aloxe-Corton than in Meursault that year. It is now complex and at or near its peak.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Struck match and flint, lemon oil, white flowers and baked apple.
- Palate: Full and ample, with golden fruit, a quartz-like mineral streak, spice and a thread of liquorice.
- Finish: Dry and lingering, with salty, nutty notes and citrus peel.
Serving & Food
Stand the bottle upright a day before opening and serve at 12 to 13°C in a large white Burgundy glass. Taste before deciding to decant, since older white Burgundy can fade quickly with air. Drink soon. Butter-poached lobster, roast Bresse chicken with morels or steamed garoupa with ginger and spring onion would all show it well.
How to Enjoy
A special-occasion bottle for anyone who loves mature white Burgundy from a Meursault domaine with no other grand cru.
Product Details
Producer: Domaine Coche-Dury
Appellation: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Vintage: 2002
Grape: Chardonnay
Bottle size: 750mL
Region: Burgundy, France
About the Domaine
The domaine grew from vines Léon Coche bought around Meursault in the 1920s. His son Georges moved the family from bulk sales to bottling in the 1960s, and Jean-François Coche took charge in 1973. His marriage to Odile Dury in 1975 brought more vines and the name on today's label. Jean-François built his reputation on low yields, painstaking vineyard work and picking each plot only when it was ready, then fermenting in barrel with native yeasts and a moderate share of new oak. His son Raphaël worked alongside him from the late 1990s and has run the domaine since 2010. The estate farms roughly nine hectares, about half of it in Meursault, with small plots in Puligny-Montrachet, Auxey-Duresses, Monthelie, Volnay and Aloxe-Corton.