Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting, the 2014 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Tollot-Beaut felt a little oaky on the nose with plenty of vanilla and creamy scents that are attractive but obscure the terroir expression at the moment. The palate is nicely balanced with touches of blood orange and a hint of peach, quite harmonious and delivering a fine and quite sensual finish. The only problem is that the oak is heavy and feels a little charred, but that should be subsumed with bottle age, so afford it 2-3 years.

Tasted blind at the annual “Burgfest” tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a well defined bouquet with dried honey and subtle waxy aromas. The palate is well balanced with good weight, quite powerful and concentrated with fine mineralité, a hint of reduction towards the finish that I suspect will ebb away with several years in bottle. I often feel that Nathalie Tollot's Corton-Charlemagne is undervalued. This is one to watch out for. Tasted May 2016.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2012 tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Tollot-Beaut has a very nuanced nose, mineral-driven, nicely focused, opposite in style from Olivier Leflaive’s, but in some ways just as satisfying. This has real class. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a very keen thread of acidity that is neatly embroidered into the vivacious citrus fruit. After the bravura opening it calms down during the second half and seeks refinement and elegance. Nathalie Tollot is known for her reds, but this is a very sophisticated Corton-Charlemagne, one that is beautifully crafted.