Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Cote de Beaune 2021
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021 is a focused, mineral-driven white Burgundy from one of the most under-the-radar grands crus of the Côte de Beaune. Sourced from old Chardonnay vines high on the Pernand-Vergelesses side of the hill of Corton, it delivers depth, tension and classic Corton-Charlemagne grandeur in a finely etched, ageworthy style.
Site & Identity
The domaine farms just 0.20 ha of Corton-Charlemagne, split into two parcels planted in 1938, situated on the steep, westernmost slopes of the Corton hill in the lieu-dit En Charlemagne above Pernand-Vergelesses. This cooler, less sun-exposed sector produces a tighter, more mineral and vertical expression of Corton-Charlemagne, emphasizing energy and salinity over sheer opulence. In the context of Simon Bize’s restrained, low-oak house style, the wine stands out as a dense, profound yet vibrant Grand Cru with a strongly terroir-driven character.
Technical Tasting Note
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Appearance: Intense straw-yellow, bright and limpid, with a dense, deep visual texture in the glass.
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Nose: Complex and layered, showing white flowers, ripe peach, exotic fruits, fresh pastry and toasted nuts, supported by citrus and a refined mineral backbone.
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Palate: Full-bodied yet balanced, with a creamy texture, fruit-and-citrus-driven core, fine acidity and a precise, chiselled mineral line that gives tension and length.
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Finish: Long, intriguing and persistent, leaving impressions of stone fruit, citrus zest, subtle toast and saline minerality.
Winemaking & Style
The Corton-Charlemagne vines are massal-selected Chardonnay, planted in 1938 and farmed with a clear focus on expressing site over winemaking artifice. Domaine Simon Bize employs modest new oak for its whites (around 20%), indigenous yeasts and a restrained, non-interventionist approach, resulting in a wine that is dense and structured yet vibrant and alive—very much a classic Grand Cru profile. Compared with richer sectors of Corton-Charlemagne, this cuvée is deliberately more tight, mineral and long-lined, built for slow evolution and rewarding cellaring.
Food Pairing
Superb with lobster, scallops, turbot, sole, fine poultry in cream or morel sauces, and aged Comté or similar hard cheeses. Its combination of depth, freshness and mineral drive also makes it an excellent match for refined gastronomic cuisine where precision and intensity are key.
