Philippe Pacalet's Corton-Charlemagne 2021 is a grand cru white from old vines on the Pernand-Vergelesses side of the Corton hill. It is a restrained, saline wine from a year that hit Chardonnay hard.
About This Wine
Corton-Charlemagne wraps around the upper slopes of the Corton hill, and much of it faces south-west or west, which is unusual on the Côte. Pacalet's fruit comes from an old-vine parcel at mid-slope on the Pernand side. In 2021 Chardonnay had already budded when the April frosts struck, so white yields were cut to a fraction of normal. The whites that came through are floral, with a firm mineral core. Pacalet himself said it was not a vintage for beginners, but there is substance in the glass.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Lemon zest, white flowers and wet stone, with a hint of hazelnut.
- Palate: Taut and precise, with citrus, chalky minerality and a saline edge.
- Finish: Long and focused, finishing salty and fresh.
Serving & Food
Serve at 12 to 13°C rather than fridge-cold, in a wide white Burgundy glass, and let it open for half an hour. Drink from 2026 into the early 2030s. Pair it with steamed scallops in black bean sauce, turbot in beurre blanc, or poulet de Bresse with cream and morels.
How to Enjoy
White Burgundy lovers who like tension and minerality more than richness.
Product Details
Producer: Philippe Pacalet
Appellation: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Vintage: 2021
Region: Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Grape: Chardonnay
Format: 750mL
About the Maison
Pacalet has described whites as patisserie and reds as cuisine, meaning the whites are more capricious and need more precision. His method for them is simple: whole bunches are pressed, the juice ferments in barrel, and the wine then sits on its lees without racking. There is no lees stirring; instead the barrels are rolled once in spring. Oak is mostly used barrels, so the site shows ahead of the wood.
He made his first wines under his own name in 2001, with the first releases the following year, and moved into his Beaune cellar in 2006. Output started at a little over 20,000 bottles and had grown to around 60,000 by the mid-2010s, still small by Burgundy négociant standards.
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