2023 Domaine Follin-Arbelet Aloxe-Corton "Les Vercots" 1er Cru

Franck Follin-Arbelet grew up in the Côte d'Or but came to winemaking through marriage, joining his father-in-law Andre's domaine in Aloxe-Corton in 1990 and taking over direction in 1993. He and his son Simon now make one of the most compelling portfolios in the village, working with a single village wine, four premier crus, and four grand crus spread across Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses, and Vosne-Romanée, all vinified in the domaine's deep stone cellars in the heart of the village. Les Vercots is their flagship premier cru bottling, a parcel sitting on the upper slope of the hill of Corton where soils of red chalk, clay, and marl push the vines toward concentration and structure. The 2023 vintage arrives with precision and elegance on the nose: dark cherry, blue fruit, ferric earth, potpourri, and a whisper of blackberry bush. The palate is medium-bodied and tightly wound, with fine, well-integrated tannins and energetic acidity framing flavors of cocoa powder, autumn leaves, and cedar. It has the clarity and focus that distinguishes the best of the domaine's work, neither overworked nor austere, but genuinely expressive of its site and vintage. Aloxe-Corton at its best can rival premier crus from across the Côte de Nuits, and Les Vercots makes that case with confidence. Drink now with lamb, duck, or roasted mushroom dishes, or hold for five to ten years to let the structure fully integrate.