“This unique Charlemagne terroir faces the setting sun, allowing us to create a wine of immense freshness, energy and precision, in a particularly warm and luminous setting.”
THIBAULT JACQUET, DOMAINE BONNEAU DU MARTRAY, APRIL 2025
CHARLEMAGNE MAGNUS
Charlemagne the Great
An honorary epithet supposedly afforded to Emperor Charlemagne during his lifetime. The name Charlemagne comes from Charles-lemagne (‘Charles the Great’), so although double greatness may seem excessive, it works for the superlative 2022 vintage here.
Charlemagne gifted these vines on the hill of Corton to the Benedictine monks of nearby Saulieu, in the year 775.
Last year, Bonneau du Martray’s great white wine, Corton-Charlemagne, became simply Charlemagne. As the domaine’s manager Thibault Jacquet says, this name change entails a rediscovery of the Charlemagne Grand Cru climat, which comprises the hill’s two great white wine lieux-dits, ‘En Charlemagne’ and ‘Le Charlemagne’, across which the domaine’s holdings stretch.
Charlemagne is therefore both a union of terroirs and a differentiation of the domaine’s white from its red: Charlemagne Grand Cru and Corton Grand Cru.
Since the 2020 vintage, the domaine’s wines have been released once bottled, bringing the release timing in line with that of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, to whom Bonneau du Martray leased just under a third of its Chardonnay vines, from the 2019 vintage.*
The 2017 acquisition by US businessman E. Stanley Kroenke was only the fourth time the domaine has changed hands in its 1,200+ year history. The management team of Armand de Maigret and Thibault Jacquet also look after Mr Kroenke’s Californian estates, which include Screaming Eagle. 2022 is their sixth vintage at Bonneau du Martray. Vineyard manager Fabien Esthor has been at the domaine since 2003 and cellar manager Emmanuel Hautus since 2011.
Both wines are stunning in the joyful 2022 vintage. Do note, however, that the Corton is in particularly low supply due to the small holding of Pinot Noir vines and the current replanting of one of its three parcels. Get them while you can…
GUY SEDDON HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING
JUNE
2025
HISTORY
With a dozen centuries behind it, this is an estate which can trace its origins directly to the Emperor Charlemagne in 775.
This was the year in which, in compensation for the destruction of their abbey by the Saracens, the Emperor gifted these vines on the hill of Corton to the monks of Saulieu.
The Church owned the estate for just over a thousand years until the French Revolution, following which it was acquired by René Bonneau du Martray’s family, descendants of Nicolas Rolin, who founded the Hospices de Beaune in 1443.
In the 19th century, the Bonneau du Martray family controlled almost 24 hectares of vines, including the whole of the Charlemagne climat
René Bonneau du Martray, born in 1886, left the estate to his niece, Comtesse Alice le Bault de la Morinière, whose husband Jean took over in 1969. Jean began the estate’s renaissance, enlarging and improving the cuverie and cellars and introducing estate bottling and temperature control.
Jean’s son, Jean-Charles le Bault de la Morinière, joined the domaine in 1994. Highly respected for his wines and his research into the intricacies of the hill of Corton, Jean-Charles began the process of conversion to biodynamics, which is now a fundamental part of the domaine’s approach.
In 2017, US businessman E. Stanley Kroenke became only the fifth owner in the domaine’s history, bringing Bonneau du Martray into the same vinous family as California’s Screaming Eagle, The Hilt and Jonata.
THE VINEYARD
At the heart of the Charlemagne climat, the holdings span En Charlemagne on the hill’s northern Pernand-Vergelesses side and Le Charlemagne on the southern Aloxe-Corton side.
Following the lease of 2.8 hectares of Chardonnay vines to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the area of Chardonnay in domaine production is now 6.7 hectares. Added to the 1.6 hectares of Pinot Noir (Corton Grand Cru), the holdings in 2022 total 8.3 hectares.*
The only west-facing grand cru in the Côte d’Or, Charlemagne’s vines get full exposure to the afternoon sun. This unique aspect is accentuated by the heat-reflective white marl soil. The freedraining higher plots are protected from the wind by the hilltop wood, whilst cold, humid air passes through the valley at the foot of the slope.
The hill of Corton, with its voluptuous curves and generous woodland at its crest, some 300 metres above sea level, has a bedrock of limestone, overlain by Jurassic soil. The upper slopes are mostly white marl, with the proportion of iron and clay increasing as you descend.
Describing how different points on the slope influence the wines’ characters, Thibault Jacquet singled out three of the 15 plots, which he describes as “microclimate typicities”. An upper section called Rollin Haut has poor soils, bringing
mineral tension and acidity to the final blend. These upper slopes are the richest in active calcium, making for wines of bite and mineral texture. A mid-slope parcel, Grande Plante, confers a more generous, full-fruited character, whilst Les Latours, on the lower slopes, has deeper, iron-rich soils which contribute density and body.
The earlier ripening lower plots tend to be picked first, the upper ones last. The 40-strong harvest team typically takes a week to bring in the domaine’s grapes. Each plot is vinified separately. Even mid-replanting programme, the average vine age is over 50 years.
No herbicides or fertilisers are used and yields are kept in check by severe pruning in the early growing season. There is no green harvest; the domaine prioritises rigorous debudding (envasivage) and removal of the lateral shoots (entrecoeurs) in early spring. Biodynamic trials started in 2004, with certification for the Pinot Noir in 2012 and the Chardonnay in 2014.
*However, one of the three plots of Pinot Noir was grubbed up in 2018 and was replanted in spring 2022, meaning the Corton Grand Cru 2022 comes from less than a hectare.
CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU
Grape
Average
Average Yield
hl/ha
CORTON GRAND CRU
Grape
Average Age of Vines
Average Yield
Charlemagne
Charlemagne
THE CELLAR
CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU
Chardonnay grapes are picked plot by plot, then brought in from the vineyards in small, porous crates to prevent them from breaking. Upon arrival in the vat room, they are crushed and pressed to extract their phenolic substance, as well as to enable gentler pressing. Emmanuel Hautus retains more solids than previously, to build depth and texture.
After settling, fermentation takes place in oak of various formats, including barrels and foudres, as well as ceramic vessels. The average new oak in 2022 is 25%. The addition of sulphites is delayed for as long as possible after the completion of malolactic fermentation to encourage a natural stability in the wines.
The wine then spends 12 months on its lees, without stirring. Each of the 11 blocks of Charlemagne is kept separate for fermentation and the first 12 months of élevage. The aim, as described by Thibault Jacquet, is harmony between the three microclimates of Charlemagne.
The wine is then blended and spends a further nine months (a second winter) in reductive vessels — principally stainless steel tanks. The first blend is between plots of the same microclimate. At the end of this period, a second racking separates the wine from its lees.
The wine then rests for a month before being bottled in accordance with the lunar calendar. A waning moon with a “small tidal coefficient” is ideal.
CORTON GRAND CRU
3-5% of the Pinot Noir crop is fermented in terracotta amphorae as whole berries, with no crushing. The rest is destemmed and then sorted. Starting in the 2019 vintage, the two red wine parcels have been fermented separately and matured in barrels (50% new oak) for 12 months before being blended in vats to finish the ageing process over a further nine months.
When it comes to bottling, the domaine always uses highquality natural cork, for both the white and the red. There are four cork suppliers to mitigate any possible risk. Corks from each batch are checked by soaking them in water and then tasting.
THE 2022 VINTAGE
I N THE WORDS OF MANAGER THIBAULT JACQUET
It is 2022. We are leaving behind the chaos of 2021 to give way to more radiant days, with more light and peace in the vineyard and more serenity for the team.
Despite everything, climate change is still at work: January is cold, but from 1st February, temperatures begin to rise, reaching 27°C on 26th March.
In April, temperatures rapidly drop, down to -3°C on 4th April, a 30-degree variation in 10 days!
Then, temperatures gradually rise again, up to 36°C on 18th May; it is the hottest and driest month since the beginning of the 20th century. The month of June has experienced the earliest heatwave since 1900, while being one of the stormiest and rainiest months since 1957, with 150mm of precipitation...
Temperatures remain high in July and August, regularly oscillating between 30 and 35 degrees in the afternoons.
But ultimately, the repeated rains in spring and summer, and our organic and biodynamic viticulture of the past 20 years, allow our vines to withstand these heatwaves and grow at a sustained pace without excess. The fruits are beautiful and abundant when the harvest begins, in the first week of September.
Two and a half years later, it is a fulfilled and radiant wine that we are happy to finally offer you.
Thibault Jacquet, Manager
2022 TASTING NOTES
CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU
Re-christened Charlemagne in the 2021 vintage, the wine that was previously known as Corton-Charlemagne comes from 6.7 hectares, spread across the hill’s two great white wine lieux-dits of En Charlemagne (PernandVergelesses side) and Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton side). Charlemagne 2022 opens up with both barrels, the powerful aromas of ripe white peach fruit reined in by flinty minerality, pear skin and lime zest. The palate is both fleshy and incisive, delicate sherbet surrounding layers of decadent fruit, with a strict acid backbone keeping the harmony. The finish is clipped and focussed, driving and linear. The thrilling evolution of Bonneau du Martray continues. 13.5% abv. Bottled in May 2024. 25% new oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 - 19
Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2040
£2,650/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
CORTON GRAND CRU
Shimmering pale ruby in the glass. Aromas of tea leaves, fine raspberry and summer roses. The palate is cool and poised on the entry, intricate and perfume-infused, the fine tannins showing a deft fruit coating which renders the chalky minerality of Corton almost plush. This is another step in the domaine’s newfound direction of demonstrative, bold Pinot Noir. A brilliantly assertive performance which retains the soul of this great vineyard. 13.5% abv. 100% destemmed. One of the three Pinot Noir plots was grubbed up in 2018 and replanted in spring 2022, meaning the Corton 2022 comes from less than a hectare. Bottled in May 2024. 50% new oak.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2028 - 2040
£1,325/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK
Tasting Guide
Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score.
Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.
PLEASE NOTE
These wines are released en primeur. Delivery dates to be confirmed. All prices are quoted in bond UK.
RECOMMENDED DRINKING DATES
Our revised drinking dates are merely a reminder of what we recommended upon original release. We do not say that you cannot drink wines older if you wish, merely that we cannot continue to guarantee them if you ignore our recommendations!
UPDATED DRINKING DATES
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