2016 Henri Boillot, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 3x150cl

Stephen Tanzer (93-96)

(75% new oak; 4.4 grams per liter acidity; from vines in Aloxe, which Boillot picked last in 2016 before starting on Pinot Noir): Bright light-medium yellow. Subtly complex, musky aromas of peach, caraway seed, nutmeg, mace and hazelnutty lees. At once densely packed and penetrating, with a stony citric pungency giving precision to the seamless middle palate and cutting through the wine’s texture. Wonderfully pure and energetic for this cuvée, finishing tactile and unflagging, with terrific citrus lift. This has the palate-staining length and structure for a slow and graceful evolution in bottle; it’s also the only 2016 here that struck me as tannic, but then classic Corton-Charlemagne typically shows structure more like a red wine.

Review date: 01/09/2017