97+ Raphel Coche told me that the 2012 Corton Charlemagne was the only vineyard that escaped hail damage this year. It has a very succinct nose, not predisposed to go out and grab you by the lapels. The aromatics unfurl with a sense of ease prioritizing finesse over power: beeswax, linden, lemon thyme and fresh pear. The palate is exquisitely balanced with fleeting glimpses of Seville orange and apricot. But there is more about the tension, the effortlessness and that it just rolls out across the finish like a huge Turkish rug. This is the kind of wine that exhausts superlatives. - Neal Martin

In contrast to the relatively expressive aromatics of the prior wines this is quite reserved and almost mute though aggressive swirling ultimately reveals notes of green apple, floral, stone and various citrus elements. As is typically the case with this wine there is excellent power, weight and punch to the big-bodied, well-muscled and concentrated flavors that possess almost painful intensity yet despite the sheer scale of this wine, there is no sense of undue heaviness as there is actually fine delineation on the stunningly long and mineral-driven finish. This too will need at least 7 to 8 years of bottle age to begin to show its true potential but should more than amply reward 10 to 12 years. The word 'WOW' definitely came to mind when tasting this!