2010 Follin-Arbelet Corton Bressandes

Domaine Follin-Arbelet is in the village of Aloxe-Corton. The 15-acre domain is owned and run by Franck Follin-Arbelet, who took on management of the estate after his father-in-law André Masson retired in 1993. Franck and his wife Christine make red and white wines and farm sustainably. Their cellar is underneath the 18th century house where they live, and the cellar is therefore especially cool and humid, both advantages for aging wine. Domaine Follin-Arbelet produces four Grand Crus and four Premier Crus. The Grand Crus parcels are in Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Corton-Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes, and Corton. Wine write Clive Coates the domaine “an address to note.”

Corton is a Grand Cru vineyard for red wine within the Corton appellation. It is a long, slender, stony limestone site that wraps part way around the top slopes of Montagne de Corton, a hill that reaches to 1,150 feet. The 234-acre vineyard primarily faces south, west and east, and is sheltered by a windbreak of trees while also receiving excellent exposure to sun. Corton is the Cote de Beaune’s only red Grand Cru. The largest producers are Louis Latour, with 37.5 acres; Hospices de Beaune, with 16 acres; and D'Ardhuy, with 11.85 acres. The names of smaller vineyards within Corton are frequently added to the names of Corton wines, resulting in names such as Corton Les Renardes, Corton Les Chaumes, Corton les Perrieres, etc.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.