The nose is soft and shows some smoky stems, it keeps changing, showing some lovely red berries. Full, very round with good structure to underpin it – indeed the acidity is quite in the background.
Chandon de Briailles
2006 Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes
2004 Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc
2007 Chandon de Briailles Corton Clos du Roi
From the top part of the Clos, the ground is very poor, it can be quite mineral. The ‘young’ vines are about 25 years old but the average is close to 50. Slow to open, you need to work the glass to bring out a red-fruited mineral impression – it hardly hints to the 100% stems that lie behind. Again there’s more structure, silky texture with an almost chewy backbone. Again a long, straight and powerful finish. Very, very good.
2001 Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes
1997 Chandon de Briailles Corton Clos du Roi
Beautiful colour – it still looks young – François thinks this intensification of colour is down to the stems. Imediately wide and warm aromas that slowly develop higher tones and fresher fruit to match – there’s plenty of mineral dimension to match. In the mouth this is sweet and well-textured – surprisingly fine and delicate acidity acidity for the vintage. The flavours are starting to be augmented by a little chocolate. A really super 1997, bravo!
2007 Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc
From the higher part of Bressandes – not Charlemagne territory – which brings more roundness says François. The nose replays the tarte-tartin theme, but perhaps this time with a creme anglaise accompanyment! Concentrated and balanced – nothing ponderous about this Corton blanc as the acidity is just right. A wine to value in it’s own right rather than an as an ‘oddity’.
2004 Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc
2007 Chandon de Briailles Corton Marechaudes
Under Bressandes from the northern part of Corton – more feminine and elegant than many. Medium colour. Tighter red fruits with a mineral dimension. Fuller in the mouth and the intensity is up a notch with impressively wide flavours, though the tannin seems on relatively background level. Slowly lingers on a savoury note.