Briailles Corton Grand Cru 'Les Bressandes' 2012

"This is more aromatically elegant than the Maréchaudes with an airy nose of various red berries along with moderate amounts of spice, floral and earth nuances. There is more tension if not more size and weight to the delicious mineral-inflected flavors that possess a lovely vibrancy, all wrapped in a tight and persistent but not especially austere finish. Indeed this is relatively approachable in the context of the appellation yet it should also age very well if desired." 92-94pts Burghound

This cuvée comes from 4 parcels situated mid-slope and spread in homogenous fashion over the whole appellation. The soils are deep and made up in equal parts of limestone and clay, giving the wine lovely balance and great length on the palate. It is a terroir that is very representative of the appellation Corton. The vines average 35 years old and face east.

The site is located on the eastern mid-slopes of the Montagne de Corton hill, immediately below the Clos du Roi and Renardes climats. The classic Corton red wine is rich and relatively tannic, meaning that it is quite austere in its youth but develops well with age. Corton tasting notes often refer to flavors of violets, forest berries, leather and earthy notes. The hill of Corton itself is a large outcrop of limestone. The eastern side is a touch warmer - being more exposed to the morning sunshine - and richer in the marlstone which is so well suited to Pinot Noir.

This historic estate was established in 1834. Claude de Nicolay took over from her mother as winemaker in 1988 and crafts traditionally styled wines from one of the Cote d'Or's great terroirs, the hill of Corton and its surrounding villages. The vineyard management has been fully biodynamic since 2005 and organic since 1998. Claude's brother, Francois de Nicolay joined the domaine in 2001.