Located in Savigny-lès-Beaune, not far from the base of the hill of Corton, Domaine Chandon de Briailles has been in the same family’s hands since 1834 (with familial ties that were originally connected to the Chandons of Moët). Today, the domaine is run by seventh-generation brother and sister François and Claude de Nicolay. Claude, who has been working here since 1991, studied viticulture in Beaune and built her very own analytical lab after obtaining a degree in technical enology. François joined her in 2001 after originally entering the wine trade as a boutique wine distributor. The pair have since turned a historic domaine into one of Burgundy’s most prestigious. They also tirelessly worked to become Certified Biodynamic and are part of the 28-member association “Les Domaines Familiaux de Tradition,” which contains every Burgundy powerhouse name you could imagine.

Today’s wine comes from all estate-owned vines in the limestone and clay soils of Corton. Their small percentage of Corton Chardonnay—just .6 total hectares—is planted in three climats on the hillside: 80% Corton Bressandes, 15% Corton Chaumes, and 5% Corton Renardes (Bressandes and Renardes are considered to be some of the best sites in all of Corton). Biodynamically farmed grapes are harvested by hand and sorted both in the vineyard and winery. Fermentation on indigenous yeasts takes place in neutral oak and the wine is then transferred down to their 13th century cellar. In here, the wine rests in 100% neutral French oak for 14-18 months before being racked and bottled via gravity. The wines are always unfiltered. 

Chandon de Briailles’ 2013 Corton Blanc shows a deep pale-yellow, nearing pale-gold in the glass with faint hints of green along the rim. The aromas blossom into a highly perfumed mix of green and yellow apple, lemon verbena, raw hazelnuts, bosc pear, fresh cream, acacia blossoms, crushed white stones, and subtle oyster shell notes throughout a persistent finish. It is dense and medium-plus in weight on the palate, but reveals such precision and minerality typical of Chandon de Briailles. These types of wines are built to age for decades, it might be the most balanced and terroir-driven of from the hill, which is why it is only revealing glimpses of its considerable depth now—like meeting a five-year-old who will be the future President. True beauty lies down the road and although it will begin revealing itself in the next 3-4 years, this wine will hit full stride around its 10th birthday (if kept properly, it will last decades). Still, as much as I urge you to wait, I must also ask that you try one now to understand the wine’s evolution: After a 60-90 minute decant, serve just under cellar temperature in large Burgundy stems and pair with some seared scallops to showcase its richness. Enjoy!