Faiveley Corton "Clos des Cortons Faiveley" Grand Cru 3000ml

"Clos des Cortons Faiveley" has been owned by the Faiveley family as a monopole since 1874. It is the domaine's flagship wine and one of just two Burgundian Grands Crus to bear the name of its owner (Romanée-Conti being the other).

Winemaker notes

Ruby red in colour with clear purple reflections. The nose is powerful, concentrated and exudes notes of black cherry and spice. The palate is rich and smooth with good energy and concentration. The finish is elegant. An excellent wine for cellar ageing.

2017

Burghound 92-94: An intensely earthy nose is comprised by notably ripe dark currant aromas that are cut with underbrush, spice and a whiff of wood toast and the sauvage. There is an attractive freshness and plenty of vivacity to the velvet-textured full-bodied and overtly muscular flavors that possess terrific punch on the beautifully long, youthfully austere and notably firm finish. I like the overall sense of complexity and this too should age effortlessly.

Wine Advocate 93+: The 2017 Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons Faiveley is showing very well, mingling aromas of blackberries, red berries and cassis with notions of cinnamon, clove and blood orange. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit, ripe but lively acids and powdery framing tannins, concluding with a sapid, youthfully oak-inflected finish. This is a deep and comparatively structured effort in the context of this approachable vintage, and it will merit a bit of bottle age.

James Suckling 96: The super fresh, sour-cherry nose leads you into a very concentrated and focused red with a lot of mineral and graphite character. The tannins are a shade firmer than in the other Grand Crus from Faiveley, but it was always that way. Deep, dark and cool finish that goes on and on. Better from 2023.

2018

Burghound 93-95: Moderate wood and menthol influences frame the intensely earthy and gamy aromas of both red and dark currant. There is excellent energy to the stony medium weight plus flavors that are at once succulent yet powerful where the latter carries over to the serious, firmly structured and mildly warm finish that goes on and on. This somewhat rustic effort is very Corton in basic character and a wine that's going to require patience.

Wine Advocate 93+: The 2018 Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons Faiveley is showing nicely in bottle, mingling aromas of cassis and dark berry fruit with hints of baking chocolate, grilled meats, forest floor and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, rich and elegantly muscular, its ripe core of fruit structured by powdery tannins and lively acids, it's long and expansive. This is a deep, brooding Clos des Corton that will demand bottle age to realize all its potential.

James Suckling 96: Wow. This is a solid Corton with ripe strawberries, plums, bark and porcini. Full-bodied with tight, fine tannins, focused depth of fruit and excellent length. Quite muscular for the vintage. Better after 2023.

2020

Burghound 92-94: Very ripe though again, attractively fresh aromas are comprised by notes of poached plum, cassis, the sauvage and a pretty spice nuances, especially anise. The supple and somewhat surprisingly, not especially dense flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel before terminating in a vibrant and sneaky long finish that firms up significantly as it sits on the palate. As always with this ageworthy wine, patience absolutely required.

Wine Advocate 94-96: Mingling deep fruit tones evocative of red cherries and plums with notions of loamy soil, licorice, orange rind, rose petals and sweet spices, the 2020 Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons Faiveley is full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, tangy acids and a long, saline finish. This is extremely promising.

James Suckling 98: What a stunning fragrance this Corton has, with ripe damson, pomegranate and floral notes interacting in a very exciting way with the wild-herb notes. Very concentrated and focused, without any sense of weight, the finish incredibly vibrant and mineral. Really lifts off at the very long finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous 91-93: The 2020 Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru has quite a rich and outgoing bouquet, plenty of mulberry fruit here laced with touches of tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, quite ripe and slightly confit towards the finish, generous but let’s see how long-term it is.

Decanter 97: The grapes are vinified partly as whole clusters and punched down each day before ageing for 18 months in cask (half new). Despite the fairly aggressive vinification, the wine has an enchantingly lovely, forward fruit character and a delightful, silky approachability. From my experience, this will continue to improve for decades. The Clos des Cortons Faiveley has been a monopole of the house since 1874. They have 2.77ha planted to Pinot Noir here, north of Renardes in this distinctly separate climat of the lieu-dit Le Rognet.