The White Gold Heist: The Chapuis & Chapuis Corton Charlemagne Grand

Pull up a seat, mortal, and pay attention. We're not here to discuss your anonymous corporate Chardonnay; we're talking about a Grand Cru that makes other white wines look like tap water. The Chapuis & Chapuis Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022 is what happens when Burgundy's biggest, baddest white hill meets a pair of rebel brothers who refuse to use chemical herbicides or let convention dictate their soul. This isn't just wine; it’s a liquid declaration of independence built on marly limestone. Expect straight talk, visceral sensory notes, and the truth about whether this bottle is worth more than your next vacation.

The Sensory Assault: Opulence Meets the Steel Trap

In the Glass: Sun-Drenched Stone and White Flowers

Hold it up. It’s a brilliant pale gold with a flash of green at the rim, like a hidden seam of pure gold ore. The aromatic intensity is pronounced and utterly bewitching.

Forget the tired trope of "just citrus." This nose is a full-blown opera. You get ripe white-fleshed fruits like peach and pear, immediately followed by the intellectual crush of lime cordial and white grapefruit, laced with ginger and a dusting of oriental spices. Give it a swirl, and the secondary characters strut in: toasted hazelnut, vanilla pod, and nougat from the oak. Beneath the opulence is a chalky undercurrent—a sense of tension and lift that screams 'Grand Cru' and reminds you this wine was born on a hill, not a flat plain.

On the Palate: Architectural Power with a Silken Touch

First contact is full, rich, and oily—a luxurious glide, instantly filling the mouth with texture. This is a wine of power and control, a bold, architectural expression. The fruit—apple, pear, citrus—is lush and plump, but the acidity is chiselled, bright, and crisp. This isn't flabby sun-juice; it's sinuous and dynamic, the fruit flowing where it pleases, yet bound tightly to an intense, structured spine.

The saline minerality on the mid-palate is the key, a huge wave of chalk that cuts through the roundness, lending sapidity and great length. The finish is long and persistent, tapering out with flinty minerality and a subtle sweet oak spice. It leaves behind the echo of the marly-limestone soil and the unmistakable urge to pour another glass.

Behind the Curtain: Rebel Brothers and King Charlemagne’s Hill

Chapuis & Chapuis is the union of brothers Romain and Jean-Guillaume, who started their venture in 2009. Based in Pommard and rooted in Aloxe-Corton, they are part of the modern Burgundy vision—straightforward, respectful of terroir, and decidedly unpretentious. They are purists who embrace minimal intervention, using indigenous yeasts and often no filtration, creating wines that "ring true". This Grand Cru is a Chardonnay masterwork, aged in oak barrels with only a portion of 15–30% new French oak to ensure the oak is a sculptor, not a wrecking ball.

This wine hails from Corton-Charlemagne, a sacred hill planted entirely to Chardonnay on steep, southeast-facing slopes. Legend says the plot was originally planted to red (Corton), but Charlemagne's wife, Hildegard, demanded white, as red wine often stained her husband's magnificent beard. The marly-limestone and clay-rich soils, combined with the ideal 280 to 330 meters of altitude, force the grapes to ripen with intensity and tension, creating Chardonnay that is both powerful and structured.

Serve Like a God, Pair Like a Glutton

Serving Tips: Don't Choke the Beast

Do not serve this ice-cold. Treat it like the royalty it is: around 55–60°F (13–16°C) to let the aromatic complexity unfurl. This wine is notoriously compact and in need of cellar time. If you must drink it now, give it a serious two-hour decant, allowing that coiled structure to loosen its grip and embrace the light. You'll thank me later.

Food Pairings: Bring the Big Guns

• Poached Lobster with Drawn Ginger Butter: The wine's dynamic acidity and minerality will slice through the richness of the lobster, while its spice and oak notes will complement the ginger and butter.
• Seared Foie Gras with Quince Paste: The Grand Cru's density and concentration can stand up to the fat, and the tertiary spice and stone fruit notes will match the richness of the liver and the sweetness of the paste.
• Roast Chicken or Capon with Black Truffles: The classic pairing. The subtle nutty and beeswax aromas developing in the wine will harmonize with the earthy, fungal notes of the truffles.

Investment Reality Check: Blue-Chip Burgundy

Corton-Charlemagne is indisputably one of the great Grands Crus of Burgundy and the ultimate blue-chip Chardonnay for investors.

• Critic Scores: While the Chapuis & Chapuis is a smaller production, the vineyard's reputation commands respect. Corton-Charlemagne 2022 as a vintage from a different top producer received a 99/100 from James Suckling and was ranked #68 on his Top 100 Wines of the World. A community review clocked this exact bottle at 92 points for its architectural expression.
• Price and Scarcity: This is not a cheap date. At an approximate price of $2,200.00 for the 2022 vintage from one source, this is a serious investment. The Chapuis family's small plot and non-interventionist philosophy mean limited production, ensuring scarcity and high collector interest.
• Aging Potential: This wine is built for a long evolution. While drinkable now, it’s best from 2028 through 2042. The high concentration, racy acidity, and potent structure will allow it to develop complex tertiary notes of honeycomb, petrol, and flint for decades.

Final Word From the Ivy-Crowned

This isn't a purchase; it's an acquisition. The Chapuis & Chapuis Corton Charlemagne 2022 is a Grand Cru that demands respect, patience, and a well-curated cellar. Skip it, and I promise you'll be sitting at a banquet one day, sipping something tragically mediocre, while a smarter friend is pouring this white gold and smiling like a thief.

Don't be the cautionary tale. Acquire now