Technical Details

• Variety: 100% Chardonnay
• Fruit source: Purchased grapes from vines situated high on the Corton hill, above Ladoix-Serrigny
• Exposure: Predominantly southeast-facing, on the cooler upper slopes
• Soils: Shallow, limestone-rich soils with marl and limited topsoil
• Farming: Sustainably farmed vineyards
• Harvest: Hand-harvested
• Pressing: Whole-cluster pressed
• Fermentation: Traditional fermentation in barrel
• Malolactic fermentation: Completed in barrel
• Aging: Barrel élevage intended to build structure and longevity while preserving the mineral character of the site
• Classification: Grand Cru

Our Take

It is difficult to imagine a more exciting combination than one of Burgundy’s greatest white-wine vineyards in the hands of Guillaume Lafon. The fruit comes from high on the Corton hill above Ladoix-Serrigny, where the cooler elevation and limestone-heavy soils give Corton-Charlemagne its unmistakable mineral power and tension.

The 2024 balances the natural scale and richness of the Grand Cru with remarkable freshness and precision. There is plenty of depth here, but the wine is driven more by crushed stone, citrus, white orchard fruit and saline minerality than by overt oak or weight. It is powerful without being heavy, with the tightly wound structure and seemingly endless finish expected from serious Corton-Charlemagne.

This is an exceptionally rare bottle and one that deserves patience. Those opening it young should give it plenty of air, but its real rewards will come after a number of years in the cellar. From the son of the legendary Dominique Lafon, this is very much a Grand Cru white Burgundy for collectors—and a thrilling glimpse at the next generation of the Lafon family.