Wine Region: Burgundy - France
Grape: 100% Chardonnay.
Tasting notes: This vineyard of 1.90 hectare is ideally located on mid-slope close to the hill of Corton-Charlemagne. Same soil structure and height as its famous neighbour. The only difference is the East exposure of the "Caradeux" which makes of this plot an exceptional "terroir" providing unique mineral characteristics.
Pale gold color. Refreshing aromas of citrus fruit and pale fleshed fruit mixed with appealing toasty bread notes. Well-shaped minerality. Well-balanced and well-structured. Dense and precise texture. Long and refreshing finish with salty tinges.
Expert Rating: Wine Spectator 90/100
How to enjoy: With seafood, fish, and mild cheeses.
About the Winery: Though modest in size, Chanson Père & Fils is one of the oldest of Beaune’s great négociant houses, having been founded in 1750 by Simon Verry. The Chanson family, already vineyard owners in Beaune, Savigny and Pernand, took control during the 19th century. In 1999 the company was sold to Bollinger, who appointed Gilles de Courcel to run the business in 2002. The company has kept its old headquarters and maturation cellars in the ‘bastion’, a late medieval stone tower which was one of Beaune’s principal fortifications, with a more modern vinification facility on the edge of town towards Savigny, built in 1974 and undergoing modernisation and extension between 2008 and 2010.
The wines are made by Jean-Pierre Confuron, of Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot in Vosne-Romanée, whose brother Yves supervises Gilles de Courcel’s family domaine in Pommard. The new team has made considerable improvements, beginning in the vineyards which are now plowed and no longer fertilized. From 2009 the domaine vineyards will be organic. Unusually amongst the major négociants, Chanson reds are made with a good proportion of the stems included. The majority of the wines see about 30 per cent new oak during maturation, with François Frères favored for red-wine barrels and Damy for white.
The Chanson Domaine, increased to 45 hectares by some shrewd purchases in 2006, provides about a quarter of the company’s production which extends to Chablis, the Mâconnais and the Beaujolais. Its own vineyards are entirely in the Côte de Beaune.
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