Description
Edmond Cornu & Fils, Ladoix Premier Cru “Le Bois Roussot”
When it comes to Burgundy’s royal game of inches, one should always break out a map because you never know how close an unassuming Premier Cru may lie to one of the region’s grandest and most hallowed names. Enter today’s “Le Bois Roussot.” This tiny site is immediately adjacent to “Corton Rognet,” a famous Grand Cru lieu-dit scrapped over by dozens of producers whose cuvées all cost $100-$500 on American soils. So, yes, we’re incredibly excited to have our hands on Cornu’s $60 Premier Cru sleeper.
You couldn’t ask for more timelessness or deeper classicism than Domaine Edmond Cornu, a small farmstead hand-crafting and illuminating proper long-lived Burgundy. It should also be noted that both the importer and domaine conspire to hold these wines back before releasing them into our market. Meaning, although most producers have already sold through their 2019s and are beginning to chip away at the ’20s, you still get access to Cornu’s mesmerizing 2017 “Bois Roussot.” At five years old, this Premier Cru gem is just beginning its marvelous journey, and each pull of the cork throughout this decade promises to bring new, untold delights. Enjoy up to 12 bottles.
NOTE: This limited parcel is expected to arrive at our warehouse in late October.
The Cornu family has been producing wine for over a century and bottling their own label since the 1950s in the sleepy hamlet of Ladoix, where the Côte de Nuits gives way to the Côte de Beaune. Cornu is as steadfastly “old school” a Burgundy estate as I’ve ever encountered, and their wines are often mercilessly closed when young, but if you stash them away (for five to 20 years, depending on the vintage and cuvée), they are magically transformed. While often light in color, they show profound depth and mineral complexity, typically overflowing with the sort of truffle/dried mushroom/meaty aromas that Burgundy collectors dream about, but seldom find in this price range. I expect today’s evolving 2017 will follow that same trajectory in a few years’ time.
Cornu’s 40+-year-old vines in Premier Cru “Bois Roussot” seamlessly run into Grand Cru “Corton Le Rognet” and therefore share near-identical exposure, soil, and elevation. Facing due east, these hillside vines are in prime position to soak up the soft morning rays while avoiding direct contact with the hot, late-afternoon sun. Accordingly, Cornu’s grapes retain acidity and reach optimal ripeness come harvest time. Cellar work starts with hand-harvested fruit that ferments (30% whole cluster) on native yeasts in concrete and stainless steel tanks. The resulting wine then matures for 18 months in French oak barriques, 25% new for today’s cuvée.
In the glass, Cornu’s 2017 “Bois Roussot” reveals a medium garnet with slight brick orange reflections moving out to the rim. Once exposed to some air—I recommend starting with a 30-minute decant—aromas will leap from the glass. Red and black cherry, dried red currant, goji berry, hibiscus, damp mushroom, warm spices, crushed rock, wet leather, and spicy forest floor tones carry through to the medium-bodied palate. It’s got the kind of seductive perfume and layered depth that’ll keep you returning to swirl, sniff, and savor, so take it slow and watch it unfold over the course of a great meal. Smoky, heady, elegant, structured—this feels like a classic, soulful Corton without the price! Enjoy!
