Corton-Les Renardes
Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Corton-Les Renardes is an enclosed lieu-dit vineyard located within the Grand Cru of Corton and nextdoor to the appellation of Aloxe-Corton. The gently sloping vineyard is dedicated almost entirely to Pinot Noir, although a small section towards the top of the vineyard also produces Chardonnays for as part of the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru.
The classic style of Corton is a bold and powerful structure, and while this is certainly true of Les Renardes, this vineyard also imparts a certain gamey spiciness which is thought to be derived from the distinctive oolite iron-rich soil on which the vineyard is planted. The word ‘Renardes’ comes from the French for fox and there are various explanations for its derivation: some say that it was the name of a previous owner of this vineyard parcel; others that it is a reference to the ‘foxy’ animal character of the Pinot Noirs this terroir produces; it has even been suggested that producers with parcels in Corton-Les Renardes deliberately encourage such flavour notes in order to make their wines conform the the name of the climat.
