2020 Joseph Drouhin Corton Rouge Grand Cru, Burgundy

Its colour is rather deep, its nose powerful and verging on candied fruit and spices when maturing. It has good structure in the mouth, without harshness. A good Corton must have "gras" (a velvety texture) to counterbalance tannin and acidity. On the palate, it recalls the candied fruit present in the nose. Very long and persistent, it ends on a very complex note.

Corton and the other Corton vineyards (such as Corton Bressandes) are the only red Grand Crus of the Côte de Beaune. They are located on the hill of Corton, clearly visible from miles around and capped by low-growing oak trees. The vines are on a rather steep slope with a good south-east exposure.

History & tradition: the name comes from "curtis" (the word for an estate in Gallo-Roman times) and Othon, the Emperor who owned this vineyard. Since the wine travels well, it soon acquired great fame around the world.

Soil: a mixture of clay and small rocks create a well-drained soil where the roots of the pinot noir grape have to dig very deep in order to find water and nutrients.