Coche Dury - Corton-Charlemagne 'Grand Cru' 2011

Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 - elegance in a challenging year

The Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011is a prime example of the ability of a top producer to produce a wine of remarkable class even in a difficult vintage.

🍷 The vineyard and the terroir

The Corton-CharlemagneGrand Cru vineyard is located on the hill of Corton, a unique amphitheatre-like terroir at an altitude of 250-330 metres . Coche-Dury owns a tiny plot here. The soil is characterised by Comblanchien limestone, which gives the wines their characteristic, steely minerality and enormous longevity.

✨ The Coche-Dury wine estate

Domaine Coche-Dury is one of the most legendary and sought-after addresses for white Burgundy. Under the management of Jean-François Coche-Dury and officially under the direction of his son Raphaël since 2010, the estate stands for uncompromising quality. 2011 was a particularly challenging year that put the winemaker's art to the test and demonstrated the domaine's immense expertise .

📅 The 2011 vintage: a winemaker's vintage

The 2011 vintage in Burgundy was extremely difficult and is often referred to as a "winemaker's vintage", in which the talent of the producer made the decisive difference . A warm, early flowering was followed by a cool, wet August and hail damage, which led to very low yields and high disease pressure . These conditions forced meticulous work in the vineyard.

The result is white wines that are less voluminous and ripe than the 2009s and less mineral-rich than the 2010s. However, they are characterised by excellent balance, an approachable style and a lean, precise structure with more moderate alcohol levels . Jancis Robinson emphasised that it was a vintage in which "the best wines will be highly appreciated by lovers of fine, expressive Burgundy" .

👃 Tasting notes and ratings

The wine consistently receives excellent reviews and is praised for its purity, concentration and distinct character.

💰 Rarity and market value

Due to the challenging weather conditions, yields were particularly low in 2011, making the wine extremely rare. The high demand is reflected in high auction prices:

• Single bottles: Prices realised are often between USD 4,450 and HKD 35,000 (approx. USD 4,500) , with estimates for flawless examples ranging up to USD 11,000 per bottle .

• lots of 6: A lot of six bottles realised USD 22,050 (approx. USD 3,675 per bottle) at Bonhams .

• 12-bottle original wooden cases (OC): Estimates for cases range from USD 48,000 - 75,000 , and the market price is quoted at up to CAD 72,040 (approx. USD 52,500) .

🍾 Conclusion and drinking maturity

In direct comparison to the legendary 2010, the 2011 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne is a different, but no less impressive wine. While the 2010 is built for eternity with brute power and structure, the 2011 shows more early charm, a silkier texture and beguiling aromatics with still tremendous length and mineral tension.

Critics estimate its optimum drinking maturity to be between 2020 and 2035+. It is the perfect choice for connoisseurs who want to experience the pure class of a great Burgundy today, without the multi-year waiting period that a 2010 still requires.