Corton Charlemagne
History
Fact and fable intertwine when it comes to the history of the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard. This is where the Emperor Charlemagne owned vines in the eighth century. It is said that the reason only white grapes are grown here is because his wife did not want him to stain his beard and clothes with red wine. The vineyard at Corton-Charlemagne was made an appellation in 1937. Domaine Coche-Dury, established in the 1920s by Léon Coche, remains a family run brand until this day.
Technology
Robert Parker once described Jean-François Coche-Dury as "one of the greatest winemakers on planet earth. Although Jean-Francois Coche officially retired in 2010, he passed his talent and techniques on to his son Raphael who took over from him. Attention to the vines, precision, and patience in the production process is what makes these wines intense and powerful. The vineyards are ploughed and the grapes are strongly pressed before making their way to either the pneumatic press or the old mechanical Vaslin. Top wines spend 22 months in barriques and are never filtered before they are bottled. The vineyards are ploughed and the grapes are strongly pressed before making their way to either the pneumatic press or the old mechanical Vaslin.
