Edmond Cornu et Fils
The wines of Edmond Cornu et Fils (& Son) have been brought into Australia by other importers for some time. This year we’ve achieved access to our selection from their range of delicious red wines to offer you, and we couldn’t be happier with them. These wines are from the seldom seen village of Ladoix, at the base of the Hill of Corton, at the very northern end of the Côte de Beaune where it abuts with the Côte de Nuits. These are the type of wines often seen in restaurants in and around Burgundy as their value for money is outstanding.
The Cornu family settled in the town of Ladoix in 1870 and established the domaine in 1875. Edmond Cornu assumed command of the estate in 1956 and in 1959 began to bottle the fruits of his labour. Up until that time all wines made at the estate had been sold to negociants. As the private clientele increased, Cornu also expanded the domaine and with the ascension of his son Pierre to full participation in the domaine, the family has aggressively pursued additional opportunities to acquire prime vineyard sites. Having expanded the domaine, Pierre is now joined by his daughter Lucie, and his cousin, Emmanuel Boireau, in supervising the vineyard and cellar work.
Currently, the estate comprises 16 hectares, 14 of which are planted to Pinot Noir and the rest to the classic white grapes of Burgundy (1.5 hectares to Chardonnay plus 0.5 hectares of Aligoté). We had a wonderful tasting in March, split over two days, with Pierre’s daughter Lucie. Their wines shone through amongst a room full of high class wines, with beautiful balance and structure. ‘Delicacy, finesse and elegance’ are how Pierre, Emmanuel and Lucie like to describe their wines. ‘Our vinifications preserve the character of the appellations. We strive to respect the terroirs and the grape varieties.’
Wines Imported
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This wine is assembled from 4 different Cornu-owned parcels around Ladoix; les Grandes Terres, Barrigards, Champ Bouloin and Sous Buisson. The vines average 60 years of age on clay and limestone soil with gravel subsoil in some areas and marl in others. This is an energetic, fresh fruited, crunchy Bourgogne that is amazing for an entry level wine.
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With the village of Ladoix sitting on the border of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune this marries together the dark fruit associated with the north and the fresh red fruits typical of the south, to make a wonderfully complex and satisfying wine. The vineyards lie at the foot of the hillside of Corton and are quite old, one part of the vineyard having been planted in 1926 and another in 1960. The Ladoix 'Vieilles Vignes’ is aged in small oak for eighteen months with about 10% of the oak being new. The wine is Côte-de-Nuits-like, with darker-toned spices, unfailingly tannic, with the broad-shouldered fruit fleshing out the underlying structure.
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The most forward and seductive Ladoix in the Cornu cellar, Le Bois Roussot sits high on the slope, adjacent to grand cru Corton-Rognet and facing southeast down toward the village of Ladoix itself. Pierre’s light hand with oak (25% new here) allows the brightness to shine. Luscious and with a hint of savoury wildness, it’s definitely wide-open even at a youthful stage, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, controlled finish. A perfect combination of black and red fruits that mark the best wines of Ladoix, the place where the Côte de Nuits abuts the Côte de Beaune.
