In the early 18th century, the vineyards of Aloxe-Corton did not rank among Burgundy’s storied producers of long-lived wines. Their output was instead known as delicate, early-drinking reds—what we might call “primeurs.” It would take visionary owners, forward-thinking négociants, and centuries of experimentation for Aloxe-Corton to earn the reputation it enjoys today. Much of that journey involved the interplay between white and red wines, the evolving tastes of connoisseurs, and a commitment to innovation that would ultimately influence the entire region’s standing in the wine world.
The hill of Corton lies at a pivotal geographic and cultural crossroads: it sits where the Côte de Beaune, with its distinguished white wines, meets the Côte de Nuits, celebrated for its structured Pinot Noirs. Aloxe-Corton’s history has swayed between these two realms. As early as the Middle Ages, certain texts mention a “Vinea Alba”—a white vineyard—within the Corton territory, at a time when the region’s dominant fashion had already swung toward red wines. Even so, Aloxe-Corton maintained a discreet but persistent thread of white grape plantings, despite the red wines coming to the forefront by the 18th and 19th centuries. With limited technical means to prevent oxidation, whites rarely lived up to the cellar potential of their red counterparts. Consumers increasingly favored wines that could age gracefully as bottling technology improved, nudging the local vintners to emphasize red wine production in their quest for prestige.
In the 18th century, Aloxe-Corton’s reds were noted for their delicacy rather than longevity. As one commentator in 1728 observed, these wines were gentle and supple, devoid of the firmness that would guarantee long aging. Yet, change was in the air. Certain forward-looking proprietors began refining their vinification techniques, extending maceration to create deeper colors and sturdier tannins. They adopted new hygienic measures—such as the so-called “Hollandaise match” to sanitize barrels—further stabilizing their wines. By 1768, Aloxe-Corton had moved beyond the category of youthful “primeurs” into an intermediate class of wines that could age respectably, if not yet rivalling the renowned “long-keeping” wines of places like Vosne or Nuits.
A pivotal moment came in 1845, when the Comte de Grancey uncorked a bottle of 1795 Corton at the Dijon Winegrowers’ Conference. This unexpected revelation of Corton’s age-worthiness helped spark a Burgundian counteroffensive against the long-standing dominance of Bordeaux. Bordeaux’s darker, more robust reds had previously been considered superior for cellaring, but now the Côte de Beaune, and Aloxe-Corton in particular, had proof they could produce wines that lasted.
The Grancey family played a crucial role in Aloxe-Corton’s evolution. Unlike many aristocrats who were content to leave vineyard management to intermediaries, they took a hands-on approach, commissioning architectural marvels like a gravity-fed winery in an old stone quarry. This ingenious facility allowed grapes to be processed efficiently from top to bottom, ensuring careful handling and temperature control. Such innovations set a standard that others would later follow.
Yet large estates faced new commercial challenges in the 19th century. The aristocratic clients of old, who purchased vast quantities directly from the producer, were gone. In their place rose a more diverse clientele, buying modest amounts from local wine merchants. Competition intensified as broader distribution networks became essential. When the phylloxera crisis struck, some families decided that viticulture had become too risky. The Grancey family eventually opted to sell their holdings, making way for a new era under the Maison Louis Latour.
Louis Latour (1835-1902) hailed from a family of vignerons and coopers established in the region since the early 18th century. With parcels on the Corton hill, they had long supplied not just local markets, but far-flung destinations—shipping fine wines as far as Russia and South America. Unlike some who saw phylloxera as the end of Burgundy’s golden age, Latour believed in the vineyard’s rebirth through technical innovation. Seizing the opportunity, he purchased the Grancey estate and proceeded to reshape Aloxe-Corton’s destiny.
One of his key moves was to leverage the massive replanting required after phylloxera. Instead of restoring the old Aligoté vines, Latour planted Chardonnay—finer and more noble. This helped elevate Corton-Charlemagne to a new stature in white wine production. By the time the appellation system emerged in 1935, Corton’s whites would join its reds at the pinnacle of Burgundy’s classification: Grand Cru. From this point onward, Aloxe-Corton would no longer be seen merely as a red wine stronghold but also as the home of a world-class white, known for its powerful, mineral-driven elegance and capacity for graceful aging.
Today, Corton’s Chardonnay thrives in prime positions on the hill, often facing south or southeast, where marl-rich soils and a balanced climate contribute to complex, well-structured wines. Though they may demand patience—revealing their full personality only after some cellaring—these whites stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Burgundy’s most illustrious names. Aloxe-Corton’s story, once defined by early-drinking reds, now includes some of the finest long-lived whites in the world, a testament to centuries of ingenuity, adaptability, and unwavering faith in the potential of its terroir.