To obtain the favours of the Church, Charlemagne donated his vineyard in Corton to the Collegiate of Saint-Andoche at Saulieu. Justly so, as the land had in fact been despoiled by his grandfather
As Claude Chapuis puts it, Charlemagne became “the most popular historical figure in Corton”, and his emblem, a two-headed eagle, is included on the shields of the villages of Aloxe and Pernand.
Charlemagne was sometimes known as the Emperor with the Flowery Beard. As legend has it, this nickname arose because he often drank his red wine with such enthusiasm that it spilled from the cup and coloured his long beard, until finally his wife nagged him into planting this vineyard with white grapes. To this day, Corton-Charlemagne remains white.
Technical sheet
The appellation
The destiny of this vineyard, a gift from the emperor Charlemagne to the Canons of the Collegiate of Saint-Andoche at Saulieu, in 775, was truly exceptional in that it remained in the hands of this religious community for over 1000 years. Chardonnay reigns supreme. On its journey across the palate it is elevated and accomplished, with body and bouquet melting together superbly. Smooth and dry, firm yet gentle, deep and structured, this is a wine of undeniable character and grace.
The vine
Le Charlemagne
Geographical situation: steep parcel.
Surface:
Plantings: 1954-55, 1957-58, 1989-90.
En Charlemagne
Geographical situation: Top of the hills.
Surface: 0,2772 ha
Exposure: South West-facing.
Plantings: 1954-55, 1957-58, 1989-90.
Grape variety: 100 % Chardonnay
Planting density: 10 000 vines/ha
Horse ploughing
Training: Guyot
Le Charlemagne
Geographical situation: to the south of
Soil and subsoil: silicic soil, very calcareous, silty and very pebbly (white soil).
Rootstock: 60 % of massal selection and 40 % of clones.
Organic agriculture: since 1998. Received official approval in 1999. Bio-dynamic agriculture since the 2001 campaign.
En Charlemagne
Soil and subsoil: silicic soil, very calcareous, silty and very pebbly (white soil).
Rootstock: massal selection.
Organic agriculture since 2012. official approval ongoing because it's a new aacquisition (first year of conversion). Bio-dynamic agriculture since the 2012 campaign.
Vineyard news: Earthing-up of the vines in winter. Spraying of nettle and rhubarb, horsetail, yarrow, tansy, comfrey tea during each treatment. Biodynamic preparation of 500 and 501 at the end of the winter and of
The wine
Harvest date: August 31st, 2018 (fruit day).
Sorting in the vineyard.
Yield: 48 hl/ha
Press of whole bunches for 2 hours 30.
Settling: 12 hours
Start fermentation in stainless-steel tank and finish in barrels.
Length: 16 months in barrels and 2 months in tank.
New barrels: 30%
Origin of wood: Centre France, Cîteaux.
Stirring of the lees: four or five times until december.
No racked. Light fining with bentonite and soft filtration.
April 21st, 2020 (leaf day) for magnums.
May 6th, 2020 (root day) for bottles.
Limited to 2755 bottles, 140 magnums
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Family Domaine at the heart of Burgundy
Contact us
7bis, rue de l’Eglise
21700 Premeaux Prissey
France
Taste & buy our wines
private customers
Are you passing through Burgundy?
Find our wines at La Maison Vougeot :
1, rue du vieux château
21640 - Vougeot
Burgundy - France
+33 3 80 61 06 10
+33 6 83 79 44 49
contact@lamaisonvougeot.com
(Visits exclusively for the trade by appointment.)