Domaine Henri et Gilles Buisson is a small family estate based in Saint-Romain in the Côte de Beaune, known for producing honest, value-conscious wines from a range of Côte de Beaune appellations including its holdings in the Grand Cru vineyard of Corton. Le Rognet et Corton is a specific lieu-dit within the broader Corton Grand Cru appellation situated on the northern side of the Corton hill in the commune of Ladoix-Serrigny, producing Pinot Noir on calcareous limestone soils of the distinctive Corton marl that gives the hill’s wines their characteristic mineral depth. While Le Rognet has historically received less critical attention than the more celebrated Corton lieux-dits of Bressandes, Clos du Roi and Pézèroles, it produces wines of genuine Grand Cru character and considerable age-worthiness from its well-sited mid-slope position on the hill.

The 2021 Corton red wine vintage was characterised by good natural acidity and the concentration of reduced frost-affected yields, producing wines of better structural depth than the warm 2020 and the very warm 2022. For a Grand Cru lieu-dit of Le Rognet’s character, the 2021’s structural precision and natural acidity should produce a wine of greater ageing potential than the readily accessible 2020, requiring patience before its full complexity becomes apparent. Buisson’s traditional approach to Corton, with minimal intervention in the cellar and a respect for the natural character of the fruit, should produce a wine that expresses Le Rognet’s mineral identity with clarity.

Corton Grand Cru from a small, less-publicised family estate offers collectors the opportunity to experience one of the Côte de Beaune’s most important red Grand Crus at a price point significantly below those of the established names in the appellation. For collectors building a range of Corton experiences or seeking Grand Cru red Burgundy from independent small producers outside the usual famous addresses, Buisson’s Le Rognet et Corton provides an honest, well-sourced and serious alternative.

Deep ruby with a focused and mineral nose of dark cherry, iron, dried violet, spice and the distinctive limestone mineral depth that characterises the best Corton Grand Cru. Medium to full-bodied with good tannin structure from the 2021 vintage’s natural concentration, excellent acidity and a long, mineral, savoury finish. Best from 2028 through 2040.