Named vineyard
Charlemagne
Identity card
Grand cruAOPWhite
Burgundy › Côte de Beaune › Aloxe-Corton · Recognised on 31 July 1937
- Grand cru
- Premier cru
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- A white grand cru distinct from Corton-Charlemagne, in Aloxe and Pernand only.
- At most 48 hl/ha and at least 12% natural alcohol.
Grape varieties
White wine onlyChardonnay
Accessory varieties: Pinot Blanc (10% at most of the holding's vines)
Pinot Blanc · 30% at most of the blend
Production rules
48
hl/ha
Maximum yield
12
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
9,000
vines/ha
Minimum planting density
Minimum ageing: At least until 15 June after the harvest
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 97 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 14 % ABV across 47 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum planting density
- The fewest vines allowed per hectare. For the same yield, more vines means fewer grapes on each. For reference: 4,000 vines/ha to 9,000 vines/ha across 106 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum ageing
- A minimum ageing period the specification requires before the wine may be sold to consumers.
Terroir
- Lie of the land: Slopes of the Montagne de Corton, 240 to 350 m
- Soils: Silica-rich marls (chert) on the upper half
- Aspect: The En Charlemagne lieu-dit faces south and west
Wine style
- golden colour
- rich and powerful
- ripe fruit, spice
- dried fruit
- mineral notes
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
28 November 2011
Cahier des charges homologué par le décret n° 2011-1688 du 28 novembre 2011, JORF du 30 novembre 2011. Appellation initialement reconnue par le décret du 31 juillet 1937.
Labelling terms
- The name may be followed by the words "grand cru"
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceCahiers des charges d'AOC publiés au BO-AGRI (décrets du 28 novembre 2011) — dont « Bonnes-Mares », « Charlemagne » et « Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet »— Ministère de l'agriculture et de la souveraineté alimentaire — Bulletin officiel (BO-AGRI)
- Reference bookThe Oxford Companion to Wine— Oxford University Press
- Trade bodyFiches d'appellation des vins de Bourgogne (surfaces et récoltes)— Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB)
A grand cru in its own right, with its own specification and its own decree, not to be confused with Corton-Charlemagne: its area is narrower, confined to Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses, leaving out Ladoix-Serrigny. The lieu-dit "En Charlemagne", which gave it its name and which local place-lore ties to the emperor's gift, lies on the south- and west-facing flanks of the Montagne de Corton, and the specification notes that it seems always to have been given over to white wine.
Mini-challenge
Charlemagne
3 questions on Charlemagne, all answered right, and the appellation is mastered in your Atlas.
Preparing the mini-challenge…