Of the three Cortons, the 1994 Corton Marechaudes and 1994 Corton Bressandes are far more precocious and flattering than the 1994 Corton Clos du Roi. Similar in style to the Corton Marechaude, the Corton Bressandes exhibits a creamy texture, and a sexy, opulent palate. As with all of the wines reviewed in this segment, its hallmark is its purity of fruit (primarily cherries), and dense, round, supple texture.
I have tasted many a pathetic 1994 red Burgundy that was shallow, thin, and harsh, but producers who kept their crop size reasonable, and did not excessively process the wines, had the potential to produce soft, delicious, seductive red Burgundies that will not make old bones, but can offer charming drinking over the next 5-6 years. Having made many visits to Domaine Chandon de Briailles, I was always disappointed that so much fining and filtration took place. Finally, Daniel Johnnes was able to convince this estate to bottle the 1994s with no filtration. And guess what? These are seductive, round, ample red Burgundies with plenty of up-front fruit. None of these offerings reveals any of the hardness or dilution that is one of the hallmarks of so many 1994 red Burgundies.
Jeroboam Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 374-9415; fax (212) 925-6474