Terroir Insight: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton-Charlemagne

Time is flying. There have already been 11 vintages since Domaine de la Romanée-Conti took on the making of a red Corton in 2009, and now the legendary estate is tackling another of Burgundy’s greats: Corton-Charlemagne.

Its opportunity comes, of course, via the vineyards of the historic Bonneau du Martray (BdM) estate in Pernand-Vergeleses: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has taken over the cultivation of a part of the BdM estate. Domaine de la Romanée Conti – DRC – does not own the plots, but rather farms them under a lease arrangement with BdM, as is normal in Burgundy.

The deal was closed in 2018, and the first result will be the 2019 wine that will presumably be released in the spring of 2022, all things being equal.

A bit of backgound regarding the Bonneau du Martray estate and the deal with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – check here.

Domaine Bonneau du Martray sold and New vineyard for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

The golden plots of Corton-Charlemagne

In connection with this, I asked Aubert de Villaine about the domaine’s plots in Corton-Charlemagne, and I got a very detailed and precise answer.

These are the cadastre plots that Domaine de la Romanée-Conti cultivates in Corton Charlemagne, he said:

A 140, 141, 142 & 144 in Aloxe-Corton

AL 353 & 355 in Pernand-Vergelesses

The plots are in two of the three villages that house the Corton and Corton-Charlemagne vineyards, which should lead to a more complex finished product thanks to the vineyards’ different exposures.

Let’s take a closer, more precise look at the plots, as the reorganization of the vineyards has introduced some new – or should I say revised – cadastre numbers on the Corton hill.

And just to be perfectly clear, again: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti does not own these plots; it leases them. Bonneau du Martray remains the owner.

Huge vineyard – two appellations

The former Bonneau du Martray holdings now partly in DRC’s hands are located in the lieux-dits Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton) and En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses).

Le Charlemagne covers 16.95 ha in total, whereas En Charlemagne totals 17.26 ha in area. Of these totals, DRC is now responsible for almost 3 ha.

The starting point – Bonneau du Martray’s holdings

Domaine Bonneau du Martray has always been a force on the Corton hill – a historic force – with great holdings of vineyards in this unicorn spot overlooking Beaune. It once owned more than 24 ha on the Corton hill.

Although its vineyard holdings have been reduced over time, the Bonneau du Martray estate is still formidable, and parcelling out some of its vineyards will hopefully bring even more exciting wines from the famous domaine, helped by more manageable vineyard sizes and production numbers.

Before the DRC lease, Bonneau du Martray had in total 11 ha of vineyards on the Corton hill: 1.5 ha of red and 9.5 ha of white. The lease ceded 2.9142 ha of chardonnay vines to the Vosne estate, leaving BdM with a more-manageable holding of a bit more than 8 ha.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s plots of Corton-Charlemagne

Tasting Notes for this producer

• The DRC Richebourg 2010 and a contrasting RSV May 14, 2021
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Saint-Vivant 2009 – 7 years after October 23, 2019
• Hope for an old Romanée-Conti, and a delightful Dujac 1976 September 27, 2019
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2008 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2011 July 6, 2018
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée-Conti 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanée Saint-Vivant 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Grands Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Corton 2015 July 13, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 January 1, 2017
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Montrachet 2009 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg 2004 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 2002 April 29, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 1993 February 15, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tâche 1990 January 26, 2016
• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Echezeaux 2004 December 2, 2014

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