Vines planted in 1950s, 1969. Vineyards are sustainably farmed, all grapes are harvested by hand and sorted, 100% of the grapes are de-stemmed, parcels are all vinified separately in open-topped, wooden vats, natural fermentations with indigenous yeasts. Grapes macerate for several days at 15°-17° Celsius, then must goes through alcoholic fermentation with occasional punch-downs and pump-overs. Must pressed gently by pneumatic press. Jus de presse is blended in with first press wine to settle for 24-48 hours, wines are racked by gravity directly into oak fûts deep into the cellar below the winery. The percentage of new oak varies with the vintage and appellation. Wines enjoy a long, slow élévage before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
This vintage is a blend of two plots, vinified together, located in the immediate vicinity of the 1er Crus boundaries. These are two old, low-yielding vines that produce an elegant Aloxe-Corton with lots of fruit; the tannins are generally round and ripe. This wine can be tasted relatively young from 3-4 years old up to 10-12 years old.
"Franck Follin tends vines from the famous hillside of Corton-Charlemagne all the way down to his property just outside the village of Aloxe-Corton. This rouge—a blend of fruit from two parcels that abut premier cru vineyards—delivers such finesse and pleasure that it makes you wonder why this village isn’t mentioned more often in the same breath as Volnay, Gevrey-Chambertin, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. More black-fruited than the red-fruited Volnay above, this silky Aloxe-Corton is in a stellar place today, although I imagine it will continue to drink beautifully over the next five to ten years." - Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant