Paul Chavy Aloxe-Corton 2023

Paul Chavy works in Burgundy's Cote d'Or, the sixth generation of a family rooted in Puligny-Montrachet. This Aloxe-Corton comes from the village at the foot of the Corton hill, where limestone and clay soils and a continental climate with marked diurnal shifts suit Pinot Noir, holding acidity while the fruit ripens slowly. Vinification follows the regional pattern: a gentle ferment to protect the variety's translucent colour and aromatics, malolactic conversion to soften the natural acidity, then ageing in French oak barrels where slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannins and adds a light spice and vanilla frame without masking the fruit. The wine is a medium ruby. The nose leads with red cherry and wild berry, with rose and a savoury, earthy note typical of the appellation. The palate is medium bodied, the tannins fine and the acidity bright, carrying red fruit and a touch of oak to a clean, lifted finish. Serve at 16 degrees and decant briefly to open the aromatics. It suits roast duck, guinea fowl and mushroom dishes.