Domaine Edmond Cornu Aloxe-Corton Vieille Vigne 2021

Domaine Edmond Cornu & Fils is a longtime family estate in Ladoix-Serrigny, established in 1875 after the Cornu family settled there in 1870. Edmond Cornu began estate bottling in 1959, and today Pierre Cornu works with his wife Edith, cousin Emmanuel Boireau and daughter Lucie. The domaine farms roughly 16 hectares around the northern Côte de Beaune, particularly Ladoix, Aloxe-Corton, Chorey-lès-Beaune and Savigny-lès-Beaune. Farming has long followed a sustainable approach, with green manures used since the early 2000s, HVE certification since 2019, and more recent planting of hedgerows and trees to encourage biodiversity.

The 2021 Aloxe-Corton Vieille Vigne is 100% pinot noir from three old-vine parcels planted in 1942, 1958 and 1971, primarily around Les Cras with additional holdings in Les Brunettes et Planchots and Les Boutières. Grapes are hand harvested, with whole clusters incorporated in varying proportions depending on the vintage. Fermentation takes place with pigeage and remontage adjusted according to the structure of the fruit, followed by malolactic fermentation and roughly 12 to 18 months of élevage in barrel. Oak use is deliberately restrained, allowing the naturally powerful, earthy character of Aloxe-Corton and the concentration of these mature vines to remain central.

The 2021 is unusually elegant for Aloxe-Corton, showing ripe cherry, wild strawberry and darker berries with violet, spice, earth and subtle toasted notes. The palate is fleshy and concentrated but lifted by the cooler vintage, with fresh acidity and firm, well integrated tannins. It finishes long and savory, combining the muscular character of Aloxe with the freshness and precision that distinguish the best 2021 Burgundies.