Bouchard Père & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2012 is a Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s Corton hill in the Côte de Beaune, a historic Grand Cru site and the only red Grand Cru vineyard in that subregion. The wine comes from the climat “Le Corton,” the namesake plot that helped define the appellation; the producer reports it is made from estate vines, with Bouchard holding a particularly large share of the climat. Fruit is 100% Pinot Noir grown on pebbly, clay-limestone (and, per one reviewer, chalky) soils. Bouchard, founded in 1731 and long based in Beaune, is known for élevage in the deep cellars of the Château de Beaune.

Critical reception is strong, with several notably good reviews. Burghound delivers an excellent 93-point score, calling it “an old school Corton” with “excellent punch” and “large-scaled, intense and mineral-driven flavors,” finishing with “superb depth and seriously good length… In a word, excellent,” while also noting that wood is prominent today and that it “will require plenty of cellar time.”

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (Neal Martin) rates it 92, highlighting precision and texture: “a very attractive bouquet with abundant red cherry and wild strawberry scents,” followed by a “medium-bodied” palate with “fine tannins” that feels “velvety smooth in the mouth.” Martin notes that oak is currently “a little conspicuous” but specifies it at “around 35% new” and says it is “very well assimilated on the finish,” concluding, “This is a well-crafted Corton.”

Wine Spectator (91) emphasizes ripeness and spice, describing it as “ripe, rich and spicy… featuring wild cherry and strawberry fruit, with anise, sandalwood and mineral notes,” and recommends patience: “Best from 2018 through 2028.” Wine Spectator also reports limited availability, with “150 cases imported.” Overall, this is a structured, classically scaled Corton built for further aging, with concentrated red-fruit character framed by assertive but generally well-handled oak.