Domaine Tollot-Beaut Grand Cru ‘Corton-Bressandes’ 2018

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

About Domaine Tollot-Beaut

Everything about this fine Domaine is attractive – even the elaborately decorated concrete cuves. The Tollot’s and the Beaut’s have remained together over the generations and therefore have maintained excellent and valuable vineyard holdings.

The current generation – cousins Nathalie, Jean-Paul and Olivier direct the Domaine. They have made substantial changes viticulturally and considerable investment in a high-tech sorting table and airconditioned cellars. Consequently, the quality has risen even further at this progressive and fine Domaine. The yields are lower, and the wines are racked less; always a consistent source of delightful and serious Burgundy that represents excellent value coupled with its wonderfully stylish presentation. These are delicious in youth and they age gracefully.

In the Vineyard

Chorey-lès-Beaune lies on the plains below the Côte d’Or escarpment with 136 hectares almost exclusively planted with Pinot Noir. Nearly half of Chorey-lès-Beaune is sold as Côte de Beaune-Villages.  Initially, the Tollot family owned vines only in Chorey, but successive generations made small acquisitions in Savigny, Aloxe, and Beaune for a current total of 60 acres. They are the proud owners of two monopoles, Savigny-lès-Beaune Champs-Chevrey and the more recently acquired Chorey-lès-Beaune Pièce du Chapitre. Tollot-Beaut farms lutte raisonée (“reasoned struggle”) and maintains a high proportion of old vines from the highly prized Pinot Fin strain.

In the Winery

The Tollot-Beaut cellar is in the center of Chorey-lès-Beaune on the rue Alexandre Tollot, named after Nathalie’s great grandfather who was once the Mayor of Chorey. Parts of the meticulously kept cellar are over 250 years old. Chardonnay is pressed pneumatically and starts fermentation in stainless-steel tanks before finishing alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel. Pinot Noir is almost entirely de-stemmed. The wines of Tollot-Beaut were once made with more new oak but in recent years the oak influence has become subtler. Village and regional wines receive about 20% new oak while the Grand Crus receive about 60% new oak. Tasting the 2019 Aloxe-Corton 1er ‘Les Fournieres’ the oak handling and quality of oak was seriously impressive to the point where as a winemaker I had to find out what they were using. Turns out it’s 4 year seasoned François Frères barrels notably also used by DRC.

The 2018 Vintage at Domaine Tollot-Beaut

“The 2018 harvest conditions were ideal, and the fruit was very clean so it could be processed quickly. Potential alcohols came in between 13.2 and 14.5% and we chose to vinify very softly as it was clear from the beginning that the extractions would happen almost by themselves. We did have a few fermentation stoppages though thankfully no technical deviations resulted. As to the wines, they are definitely ripe but in contrast to say 2003, the terroir differences are readily apparent.”

Nathalie Tollot

Where in the World is Domaine Tollot-Beaut?

Domaine Tollot-Beaut is based in Chorey-Lès-Beaune with holding there in addition to Savigny-Lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton, and Beaune. This wine is from the Grand Cru belt of Aloxe-Corton.