Creation Vinium

Corton Grand Cru
"Clos du Roi"

  • RegionCôte de Beaune
  • VillageAloxe-Corton
  • AppellationCorton Grand Cru
  • Grape varietyPinot Noir
The Vine
  • Average vine age 30 years
  • SoilMarl and limestone.
  • Average yield35 hl/ha
  • HarvestHand picked
Wine tips
  • Cellaring Potential10-15 years
  • Serving temperature 16-17°
Description
  • Designated a Grand Cru since 1937, this wine was already well-known in the 15th century when the King of France added Corton wines to his personal cellars. Upon the death of Charles le Téméraire, the final duke of Burgundy, this parcel of vines passed into the hands of the royal winemakers and therefore became Corton "Clos du Roi" (plot (of land) of the king). With a perfect easterly exposure on the hill of Corton, the Latour vines are worked in the traditional way. Harsh pruning permits later harvests and also insures that a good level of ripeness and richness is achieved in the grapes. This wine has fantastic ageing capacity.
Vinification & Ageing
  • Fermentation
    Traditional in open vats
  • Ageing
    10 to 12 months ageing in oak barrels, 25% new
  • Barrels
    Louis Latour cooperage, French oak, medium toasted
Wine tasting
  • Tasting Note
    With a superbe garnet red colour, our Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 reveals a generous nose of cherry, vanilla and liquorice. On the palate, mocha, red berries and light woody notes. The roundness and the tannins give a beautiful structure. A wine to be kept.
  • Food Pairing
    Roasted hare - partridge - duck "à l'orange" - mature cheeses.
Press review
  • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Wine Enthusiast - October 2016 - 94/100
  • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Wine Spectator - October 2016 - 90/100
  • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Burgundy Report - January 2016 - "Excellent"


Press review
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2020 - James Suckling - 96/100 pts

      Deep and dark nose with plenty of smoked-bacon character. Very rich for Corton, but this isn't a jot too much. Huge tannin structure, but it's beautifully integrated and the overall impression is of velvety harmony. Long, almost silky finish. Drink or hold.

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2018 - 93 pts - Wine Spectator

      Blackberry and black cherry flavors hold center court in this fruity, velvety red. It's backed by dense tannins and remains fresh through the lingering finish. Chalky tannins leave a firm, dry sensation. Best from 2024 through 2042. — BS


    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - 91 pts - Decanter April 2021

      Aromas of candied plums accented with a suggestion of wild herbs and a savoury note give the nose of Latour's Clos du Roi a pleasant complexity, yet there is also good purity of fruit here. The wine is fermented on native yeasts in open-top fermenters and aged 18 months in cask, half of them new. The texture on the palate is supple and approachable now. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034  - Charles Curtis MW


    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Sommeliers International - September 2019 - "A distinguished wine with character"

      Dark ruby dense robe with garnet shades. Beautiful fruity aromatic note with notes of sour cherries, a touch of white pepper, laurel, fine spices. Rich and quite powerful at first taste, it develops
      on a beautiful structure and displays a straightforward and quite tasty mid-palate. Polished tannins and persistent finish of beautiful intensity. A distinguished wine with character that will refine its notes of elegance with ageing. (Paolo Basso)

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Wine Spectator - May 2018 - 94/100
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Burghound.com - April 2018 - 92/100

      Beautifully fresh array... features from the red side of the fruit spectrum with background hints
      of wood, spice and earth. All wrapped in a balanced, firm and austere finale.

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - The World of Fine Wine - March 2018 - 94/100

      Purest Morello cherry with a tinge of ripe black cherry on the nose. Those flavors persist on the fine, elegant, and very linear palate. This has poise and elegance, purity and lovely freshness. Wonderful persistence. - Anne Krebiehl MW

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Jancis Robinson - January 2018 - 15,5/20Drink 2018-2026
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Tim Atkin - January 2018 - 92/100
    • Corton Grand Cru " Clos du Roi " 2016 - Burgundy Report - Bill Nanson - December 2017

      This is a surprisingly similar nose to the last wine (Corton Grancey) - fine notes of complexity but not that different. Directly more volume and freshness in the mouth though - a cooler fruit but layers of flavour. This will be super wine and a step up from the Corton Grancey this year - really a great finish...

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2016 - Inside Burgundy, Jasper Morris - January 2018 - 90-93/100

      Medium deep purple with lighter rim. There is power to the nose but not at this stage clarity. Middleweight, a slightly dry finish. (Tasted prior to bottling)

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2015 - Wine Spectator Insider - August 2017 - 95/100

      This is ripe, with black cherry, plum and spice flavors and a fleshy texture, all backed by a solid structure. The flesh buffers the tannins up front, but they win out in the end. Long and well-proportioned, with a vibrant, fresh finish that evokes tobacco. Best from 2022 through 2040.-B.S - USA

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Wine Enthusiast - October 2016 - 94/100

      At this stage, this big, black wine has an austere edge that will open out as it develops. With the powerful tannins and the density behind the ripe black fruits, it will be impressive. Drink from 2023. 

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" Grand Cru 2014 - Vyno Žurnalas - Lithuania - October 2016 - 92/100
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Wine Spectator - October 2016 - 90/100

      A dense, compact red, with cherry and berry flavors compressed by the sturdy structure. Shows a kernel of sweetness at the core, leading to a long finish of spice, earth and mineral. Best from 2019 through 2032. By Bruce Sanderson (USA)

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2014 - Burgundy Report - January 2016 - "Excellent"

      Wide, airy, complex, a more mineral depth. Bigger and rounder in the mouth, more overt complexity in the mid-palate - overall a bigger more forceful wine, without ever shouting. A burst of flavour then a wide semi-mineral, semi-fruit flavour to finish. Excellent. (cask sample) By Bill Nanson (UK)

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2013 - James Suckling - June 2015 - 92/100A firm and silky red with dried strawberry, spice and citrus character. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a pretty finish. Soft, glycerious texture. Drink or hold.



    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2013 - Burghound.com - April 2015 - 91/100An earthier and more obvious sauvage nose displays notes of mostly dark currant and discreet floral nuances. The mid-palate is clearly denser.
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2013 - Burgundy Report - December 2014 - "Fine flavour"A deeper nose with a little herb, perhaps some licorice too. Again, big in the mouth, perhaps with more weight this time.The flavour starts with herbs and slowly becomes more mouth-watering with a fine flavour. Longer, more direct and more complex - and of-course yum again!
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2013 - Tim Atkin - January 2015 - (UK)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2013 - Wine Spectator - December 2014 - 90/100The 2013 Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru has a slightly withdrawn bouquet at first, gradually unfolding with blackberry and wild hedgerow scents. The palate is better with fine, sappy red berry fruit and a keen acidic thread with raspberry and wild strawberry fruit. There is a pleasant spicy note that surfaces toward the finish that prolongs the length in the mouth, although it does not quite reach the complexity of the best Cortons of the vintage.


    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi"2012 - Burgundy Report - May 2016 - "Fine and long"

      A deeper nose of slightly darker fruit, certain more density of fruit too. Wide, lovely energy, a little tannin coming to the fore in the mid-palate. Lovely burst of mid-palate flavour too. Fine and long. By Bill Nanson (UK- Tasting of Cortons 2012 )

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2012 - En Magnum Dec 2016 Feb 2017- 17.5/20

      Colour is quite light. Smoky notes, minerality, cherry jam. Nice structure in the mouth, with beautiful and firm tannins. Fine and velvety wine with some tension on the finish. Great evolution expected!

       

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2012 - Wine Chronicles - May 2016 - 92/100

      This second out of four in this 2012 series has a more full bodied palate than the Clos de la Vigne, with a more "roasted fruit" aspect, plus cassis and dark cherry notes, and a touch of cinnamon. The tannins are ripe and soft, yet there is a hint of heat on the long finish.

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2012 - Wine Enthusiast - December 2015 - 93/100From the Latour domaine, this dense wine is full of plum and sweet strawberry. At the same time, it is solid with undertow of tannins and a dark texture. The acidity is already well integrated into this ripe and full-bodied wine. At the end, the signs of wood aging emerge and need to integrate. Drink from 2020. By Roger Voss (USA)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2012 - Burgundy Report - June 2014 - "pretty"Here there's more aromatic depth and width - the fruit is pretty and is augmented with floral references. (...)this seems concentrated yet rather friendly. - Bill Nanson
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2012 - Burghound.com - April 2014 - 89/100There is a subtle touch of menthol sitting atop the more typical aromas of cool red currant, raspberry and earth. The mid-palate impression of the medium-bodied flavors is surprisingly supple though it tightens up considerably on the slightly rustic and solidly persistent finish. I would not describe this as a classic Clos du Roi but even so it does not lack for appeal. 2020+ By Allen Meadows (USA)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2011 - Wine Spectator - June 2014 - 91/100A layer of resinous oak shades the cherry and raspberry fruit. Spice and mineral accents show up, but for now this is austere. Should come together nicely, as the finish shows promise. Best from 2017 through 2030. By Bruce Sanderson (USA).
    • Corton Grand Cru " Clos du Roi " 2011 - The World of Fine Wine - February 2013 - 16.5/20Lifted cherry-and-raspberry nose, with marzipan tones. Quite rich, sleek and concentrated, with more freshness and edge than Vigne au Saint. There's good acidity and some vibrancy and spice on the finish. By Stephen Brook (UK)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2011 - Jancis Robinson - February 2013 - 17/20Red-fruited perfume, quite ripe, and tannins are firm and dense. Drink 2017-2025. By Julia Harding MW.
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2010 - Burgundy Report - May 2016 - "Very tasty"

      Here the nose is deep, with a certain spicy aspect to the fruit. Fills the mouth nicely, more supple in aspect, slowly growing tannin like the last wine and whilst also very finely grained, it is certainly less astringent. Tasty fruit in the mid-palate and into the finish - not quite the clarity of fruit that I'd like - but this is a very tasty glass. By Bill Nanson (UK - Tasting of Cortons 2010)

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2010 - Wine Chronicles - May 2016 - 93/100

      Ah here we go, this was delicious. Lovely cherry, dark and red, with blackberry as well on the nose and opulent palate: savory and long. It has freshness, too, so its full bodied aspect ends with a long, lifting and bright finish. Yum !

    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2010 - Wine Spectator - October 2013 - 93/100This expressive version bursts with cherry, raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Firm tannins persist on the finish, but this remains well-integrated overall, lingering with mineral and spice elements. Best from 2015 through 2030.
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2009 - Wine Spectator - June 2012 - 93/100An expressive red, whose floral, raspberry and cherry flavors match the elegant profile. Though silky and detailed, this is also tightly wound, evidenced on the long finish. A civilized, stylish Corton. Better than previously reviewed. Best from 2015 through 2033. (USA)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2009 - Burghound.com - May 2011 - 90/100Soft wood influence does not detract materially from the red berry liqueur, spice, earth and slightly animale-inflected nose that is very much in keeping with the ripe, suave, round and velvet-textured flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration and fine power and length. While it may develop more with additional bottle age, there is presently limited depth and my score offers the benefit of the doubt. 2019+. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2009 - Jancis Robinson - January 2011 - 16++/20Drink 2014-2019: Pale crimson. Discreet nose. Lots of ripe fruit on the front palate but too raw to express much at the moment. Lots of fine tannins. Wait for this to reveal itself. (UK)
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2009 - Wine Review Online - July 2011 - 95/100This is a great wine. But that's what you'd expect from a fabulous vintage, a superb locale (you think the king gets the second best plot in Corton?) and a conscientious and talented producer. Although Latour is one of the region's most prominent négociants, this wine comes exclusively from estate-owned plots they purchased over 100 years ago. Tightly wound at this stage, its succulence and richness takes time to unfold in the glass. But succulent and rich it is. It has a lovely firmness and structure to support its generous core of plump dark fruit. Those who believe (mistakenly) that Latour's reds lack substance need only to sample this wine. Expect on cellaring it for a decade or so. By Michael Apstein (USA).
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2008 - Wine Spectator - April 2011 - 93/100Almost lush in texture, yet elegant and stylish, this displays black cherry and raspberry flavors, with refreshing acidity, making this red approachable now. This will benefit from time in the bottle, evidenced by the back-end structure. Fine mineral essence marks the finish. Best from 2014 through 2030.
    • Corton Grand Cru "Clos du Roi" 2008 - Allen Meadows' Burghound - April 2010 - 90-92/100Here too can be found a gentle touch of wood that frames pure, reserved and brooding red and dark pinot fruit aromas that display the classic Clos du Roi characteristics of warm earth, spice and sauvage hints, all of which carry over to the minerally, austere and powerful medium weight plus flavors that possess real verve on the palate staining finish. Compared to the Grancey, there is just a bit more underlying material that gives this the edge. (90-92)/2020+
Recommend this wine

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