The 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is impressive, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, toasted nuts, pastry cream and light reduction. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with racy acids and chalky structuring extract, it's an impressive performance for the house's "regular" bottling from this grand cru.

Girardin's "regular" bottling of 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is very good, offering up aromas of pear, citrus zest and peach, complemented by hints of freshly baked bread and anise. Full-bodied, deep and textural, it's ample and seamless, with bright acids and a saline finish.

Wafting from the glass with aromas of buttered orchard fruit, ripe lemons and blanched almonds, the 2016 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a broad-shouldered, powerful profile, chewy structuring dry extract and racy acids, concluding with a long and penetrating finish. This is a very persuasive wine from Girardin.

Tasted blind at the annual “Burgfest” tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru offers a clean, fresh bouquet with citrus fruit, yellow flowers and a touch of walnut. The palate is crisp and fresh on the entry with good weight. There is not an enormous amount of complexity here, although the feisty and spicy finish is quite appealing. I would be inclined to drink this in its youth rather than with age, but the mineralité eventually shows through and lifts the wine to a higher level. Tasted May 2016.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2012 tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru from Vincent Girardin has a commercial, punter-friendly bouquet with flecks of white chocolate littered over the citrus fruit, but it becomes oxidised with time. The palate has a disorientating vein of dryness on the entry. This feels a little mean, very linear but it would have benefitted from more weight and delineation on the finish that has a slight sourness. I actually prefer some of Girardin’s white premier cru to this.