Le Corton

Today guildsomm posted a good question on twitter: What is the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy? Now for some reason the answer to this question is one of those random bits of information I have managed to file away yet always have readily accessible. In honor of little victories I have decided to dig a little deeper and explore this cru and why some people may think the correct answer is Clos de Vougeot.




Located within the Cote de Beaune, le Corton grows both of Burgundy's signature varietals: pinot noir and chardonnay, although it is more known for its reds. One important aspect to keep in mind when studying about Burgundy, is that many villages append their names to include their famous vineyard. A kind of vinous publicity stunt. In this case you may have heard of Aloxe-Corton which is one of the villages that the vineyard happens to be a part of. Le Corton is not only the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy but it is also the only red-wine Grand Cru in the Cote de Beaune. There are 20 climats (subordinate vineyards) that may hyphenate their name to the Corton AOC.

Moving right along, lets talk about another mega-producer: Clos de Vougeot.


This is a 123 acre site which is considered massive by Burgundian standards, although the output of Corton is more than twice the volume produced here! The site produces only reds and of variable quality. It seems that in Burgundy size really does matter. The smaller producers seem to be able to make better wine due to their limited output whereas the larger sites tend to over produce, perhaps trying to capitalize on their hallowed location.

I realize this is a mere snippet of a much larger story but when it comes to taking on the goliath that is Burgundy, I find it wise to focus on a few key details at a time in order to retain the information.

Maybe that's how I remembered the answer this morning!