2024 Charles Lachaux Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Charles Lachaux
Charles Lachaux is currently one of the most dynamic and intensely watched winemakers in Burgundy, representing a radical shift in modern viticulture. As the head of Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux and his eponymous négoce project, his philosophy centers on an unwavering commitment to the vineyard. Lachaux has pioneered extreme high-density planting and a unique method of vine training called pissage (coiling the canopy over instead of hedging it), which minimizes stress on the plant and preserves natural sap flow. In the cellar, his approach is hands-off yet meticulous: utilizing high proportions of whole-cluster fermentation, minimizing sulfur additions, and significantly reducing or eliminating the use of new oak to allow the pure, vertical expression of the terroir to take center stage. His wines are defined by their vibrant energy, floral aromatic perfume, and tense, chiseled structure, making them highly allocated allocations targeted heavily by elite private collectors globally.
Charles Lachaux Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2024
The 2024 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is an architectural masterpiece of limestone minerality, tension, and power. Sourced from the iconic high-altitude, steep slopes of the Hill of Corton, this white Grand Cru represents the peak of Lachaux's minimalist intervention applied to Chardonnay. The 2024 growing season demanded strict operational discipline, producing a wine with sharp phenolic clarity and an electric structural line. By utilizing seasoned wood and avoiding new oak entirely, Lachaux preserves the raw, laser-like focus of the terroir, delivering a Corton-Charlemagne built on chiseled mineral depth, structural authority, and immense cellaring longevity rather than creaminess or oak driven volume.
Appellation: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Vintage: 2024
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Aging: 12 to 14 months in 100% seasoned French oak barrels (0% new oak to preserve terroir purity and prevent wood char flavors).
Vinification: Whole-cluster pressing; immediate gravity settling without chemical fining; primary and malolactic fermentation driven entirely by indigenous yeasts in neutral oak; zero battonage (lees stirring); minimal sulfur addition at bottling.
Tasting Notes: An intense, crystalline nose opening with green orchard fruits, white flowers, wet limestone, and preserved citrus peel, accented by an underlying hint of matchstick reduction. The palate is intensely concentrated yet remarkably precise, driving forward with an electric spine of acidity, high phenolic density, and a bone-dry, chalky finish that echoes with salty minerality.
Food Pairing: Pan-seared sea bass with lemongrass emulsion, grilled turbot over open charcoal, or a slow-roasted veal sweetbread platter paired with premium aged mountain cheeses like Comté or Beaufort.
Historical Ratings
2023: 94–96 pts (Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy)
2022: 95–96 pts (Neal Martin, Vinous)