Today’s wine is one of the greatest red Burgundy values you’ll ever see. Yes, ever. It’s incredibly rare, has proved capable of aging for decades, and comes from the kind of family-run, farmstead domaine that defines—and distinguishes—Burgundy.
We are big fans of the Edmond Cornu domaine, and have offered many different wines from them over the years; if you want to experience the most traditionally styled expressions of Burgundy Pinot Noir, this is the place to look, but this Corton-Bressandes is really something special. Not only is it a minuscule-production Grand Cru for a hair over $100, which is practically unheard-of these days, but it’s a wine with many more glorious years ahead of it, especially around its 10th birthday. As I’ve said before, the top bottlings from Cornu are like hibernating bears, but both the domaine itself and its importer, Neal Rosenthal, conspire to hold these wines back longer than just about anyone else before releasing them in our market. So, while many other Burgundians have already sold through their Grand Crus from 2017, we can still put our hands on this maturing, mesmerizing ’13—and at an incredible price to boot! But after all this waiting, what few bottles of this Corton-Bressandes arrive in the US disappear quickly—so take up to six per person today until our allocation runs dry!
The “Les Bressandes” climat (vineyard parcel) sits about midway up the famed Corton hill, on the eastern side facing the town of Ladoix, where the Cornu family has lived and farmed since 1870. They have been producing wine for over a century and bottling under their own label since the 1950s. Cornu is as steadfastly “old school” a Burgundy estate as I’ve ever encountered, and their wines are often mercilessly closed when young, but if you stash them away (for five to 20 years, depending on the vintage and cuvée), they are magically transformed. Experienced sommeliers know that mature Cornu is a real treat: While often light in color, they show profound depth and mineral complexity, typically overflowing with the sort of truffle/dried mushroom/meaty aromas that Burgundy collectors dream about, but seldom find in this price range.
Cornu’s parcel of Les Bressandes is planted to vines averaging 30 years of age, and their vinification process is straightforward, starting with hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed fruit fermented on native yeasts and continuing with 12-15 months’ aging in French oak barriques (30% new in this case). In the glass, it’s a medium garnet-red with pink and orange reflections, and once exposed to some air, its aromas jump from the glass: red and black cherry, red currant, dried orange peel, rose petals, hibiscus, dried mushrooms, warm spices, and a touch of leather carry through to the medium-bodied palate, which should continue adding flesh with time and spill over into ‘medium-plus’ territory. It’s got the kind of perfume that’ll keep you returning to swirl and sniff over and over, so take it slow and watch it unfold over the course of a great meal. If enjoying a bottle now, decant it 60 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees, and pair it with something that won’t mask its detail and finesse. I’ll be watching this gorgeous, haunting red for many years to come. Enjoy!