Corton

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The Corton appellation lies at the northern tip of the Côte de Beaune, a rectilinear escarpment of tectonic origin separating the Hautes Côtes to the west from the Bresse plain to the east.
• The cool oceanic climate is disrupted by continental and southerly influences channelled along the Rhône–Saône corridor, with approximately 750 millimetres of rainfall per year and a mean annual temperature of 10.5°C.
• The parcels lie on the slopes of the Montagne de Corton, an isolated outlier of the Côte set between two valleys, at elevations of between 240 and 350 metres with varied aspects ranging from east through south to west.
• The lower slope rests on the limestones of the Dalle nacrée of the Middle Jurassic, masked by colluvial deposits, yielding shallow, well-drained soils rich in clay and sometimes very stony.
• The upper half of the slope, often steeply inclined, is formed by a silica-rich marly sequence of the Upper Jurassic, yielding silty soils that are susceptible to erosion and low in fertility.
• The geological sequence is crowned by a hard limestone horizon forming a wooded cliff at 385 metres altitude, which defines and characterises the distinctive landscape of Corton.

• In 775, the Emperor Charlemagne donated vineyards to the collegiate church of Saulieu, a legacy preserved in the lieu-dit 'En Charlemagne' on the Montagne de Corton.
• In 1622, the Beaune merchant Pernot-Viennot purchased the vineyards of the Cistercian estate, an episode marking the development of large domaines by the Beaune bourgeoisie.
• The commune of Aloxe appended the name of its most prestigious cru in 1862, becoming Aloxe-Corton, in keeping with a practice then widespread in the region.
• The vines are trained at planting densities exceeding 9,000 vines per hectare, with Chardonnay and Pinot noir as the grape varieties.
• The wines are aged in oak barrels for several months, which imparts good keeping potential in accordance with the characteristics of the vintage and the climat.
• In 2008 the Corton vineyard covered approximately 95 hectares, with an average annual production of nearly 3,000 hectolitres, of which 95% was red wine.

• The red wines display a deep ruby colour and, in their youth, intense aromas of red berry fruits and dark berries, with complex nuances that vary according to the climat.
• The white wines are distinguished by a structure marked by fine minerality, with aromas of white fruits with a light spicy edge that evolve after a few years towards honey, dried fruits, and truffle.

• The topography of the hill, its varied aspects, geological diversity, and range of soils foster a wide spectrum of nuances in the wines, which has led producers to differentiate between the climats.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Dénominations géographiques complémentaires

• Corton Basses Mourottes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Clos des Meix AOC (PDO)
• Corton Hautes Mourottes AOC (PDO)
• Corton La Toppe au Vert AOC (PDO)
• Corton La Vigne au Saint AOC (PDO)
• Corton Le Clos du Roi AOC (PDO)
• Corton Le Corton AOC (PDO)
• Corton Le Meix Lallemand AOC (PDO)
• Corton Le Rognet et Corton AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Bressandes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Carrières AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Chaumes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Combes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Fiètres AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Grandes Lolières AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Grèves AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Languettes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Maréchaudes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Moutottes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Paulands AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Perrières AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Pougets AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Renardes AOC (PDO)
• Corton Les Vergennes AOC (PDO)

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — BIVB