Domaine Génot-Boulanger : Corton Grand cru "Les Combes" 2020

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Corton Grand Cru "Les Combes" 2020 – Domaine Génot-Boulanger

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a ruby robe, with the deep, vibrant hue typical of pinot noir grown on red clay soils.

Nose

The bouquet is open-knit and transparent, led by bright red cherry fruit along with a hint of kirsch. Notes of wet limestone bring a mineral dimension, while a light touch of sea spray lends the nose a subtle saline quality.

Palate

The palate shows an elegant, slender structure carried by supple tannins. The juicy red cherry fruit continues from the nose, framed by a sense of freshness and a faintly salty, savory sensation that lengthens the finish.

Food and wine pairings

Corton Grand Cru "Les Combes" 2020 pairs beautifully with roasted or braised red meats, such as a beef roast or a classic Burgundian-style braise. It also matches well with richly flavored poultry dishes, like a roasted capon or chicken in red wine sauce, as well as feathered game such as pheasant or partridge. For cheese, a moderately aged pressed cheese, like a comté or beaufort, makes a fitting companion.

Serving and cellaring

Corton Grand Cru "Les Combes" 2020 is best served at a temperature between 59 and 63°F (15-17°C). Decanting for about an hour is recommended to help the bouquet open up and to soften the tannins. The wine can be enjoyed in its youth, and has the potential to age gracefully until around 2040.

Other characteristics

This wine has an alcohol content of 12.5%, a moderate level for a warm vintage such as 2020, reflecting the estate's choice to harvest at phenolic rather than excessive sugar maturity.

A Burgundy Red Marked by Red Fruit and a Saline Edge, From the Corton Hill

The Estate

Founded in 1974 in Meursault, Burgundy, by Parisian pharmacists Charles-Henri Génot and his wife Marie, née Boulanger, Domaine Génot-Boulanger has grown into a 22-hectare estate spanning around thirty prestigious appellations, from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte Chalonnaise by way of the Côte de Beaune. Today led by the fourth generation, Aude and Guillaume Lavollée, the estate has been entirely certified organic since 2018 and is known for its gentle winemaking, parcel-by-parcel attention, and its distinctive use of timber from a family-owned oak forest in the Yonne for crafting its own large barrels.

The Vineyard

The Corton Grand Cru "Les Combes" comes from a small 0.47-hectare plot planted with pinot noir, located within the Corton Grand Cru appellation. The vines, roughly 35 years old, grow on red clay soils with a southwest exposure, a combination that provides both warmth and structure. As with the rest of the estate's holdings, this parcel is cultivated under certified organic farming, with practices designed to support soil life and plant balance.

The Vintage

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy was generally early and warm, with harvests taking place ahead of the historical calendar. This context favored full ripeness while requiring close attention to preserve freshness and balance in the resulting wines.

Winemaking and aging

Corton Grand Cru "Les Combes" 2020 was produced following the estate's red winemaking approach: hand-harvested grapes, 100% destemming, and a lengthy maceration relying on indigenous yeasts. Extraction is kept gentle, favoring pump-overs with only occasional punch-downs. The wine was then aged for 12 months in oak barrels, of which only 10 to 15% were new, followed by six additional months in stainless steel tanks, and was bottled without filtration.

Grape Variety

100% pinot noir.