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Cornu – Domaine visit and new vintage, with Isabelle Cornu

Domaine Cornu and the vintage 2023

Domaine Cornu, located in the sleepy town of Magny-lès-Villers, might be one of the best-kept secrets in today’s Burgundy landscape. Firmly in the artisanal camp, the domaine produces wines of character, finesse, and a distinct sense of place. A traditional family estate, Domaine Cornu has been around for four generations. While Colette and Claude Cornu left their mark on the winery over the past decades, it is now their children, Isabelle and Alexandre, who have taken the reins.

Claude Cornu also spent time working at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which may help explain some of the finesse and elegance in these wines. Still, the charismatic sibling duo, Isabelle and Alexandre, may have elevated the quality even further. The domaine’s two Cortons – or, in earlier years, the blended “Corton Grand Cru” made from multiple lieux-dits – have always been outstanding, but the more modest appellations have also improved significantly in recent years.

In addition to the Grand Crus, I am particularly fond of the Ladoix and the Ladoix 1er Cru “Le Bois Roussot,” as well as the Savigny-lès-Beaune, which performs especially well in warmer years. The rest of the range also reflects its terroir beautifully and offers excellent value and quality. Domaine Cornu’s wines exhibit an elegant style, pure fruit, and a mid-weight character. The white wines are also very appealing and tend to show their best after a few years in the cellar.

I believe the domaine excels in warmer vintages (such as 2022, 2020, 2018, 2015, 2012, and 2009), as Alexandre resists the temptation to over-extract, resulting in wines with excellent aromatics and silky tannins. Having followed these wines since the 1995 vintage, I can confidently say it’s hard to find better value in Burgundy today.

In April 2025, we once again had the privilege of tasting through the range with the charming Isabelle. The wines were mostly from the 2023 vintage—a year less consistent than 2022 and slightly different in style. According to Isabelle, and as confirmed during our tasting, 2023 was an “année solaire,” marked by charming fruit and higher ripeness, but less structure and intensity than, for example, 2022. These are wines to enjoy on the younger side, while the fruit is still vibrant. Their tannic structure will not take long to integrate.

Overall, we perceived 2023 as a mid-weight vintage at Domaine Cornu, with higher ripeness, slightly lower acidity, and therefore a more restrained extraction and concentration, all aimed at maintaining balance. These wines will bring much pleasure over the coming years. Some were already irresistible; others may need a few years to show their full potential.

 

Domaine Cornu, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune blanc 2023,  87 points
We started the tasting with a total pleasure bomb. Very floral, with white flowers, some citrus, a touch of spices and honey, overall very round and subtle, with nice ripeness, but also some acidity balancing the fruit. This will show nicely over the next 2 years or so. Dangerously easy drinking, this would make a perfect Apéritif at any Barbecue.

Domaine Cornu, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits blanc 2023, 89 points
More complex and layered than the Hautes Côtes de Beaune next to it, with nice yellow fruit, some ripe pear, some sweet spices, honeysuckle, more body, too, with medium+ acidity adding some grip. This might need 2-3 years to totally open up, good length too. A very good Hautes Côtes de Nuits.

Domaine Cornu, Côtes de Nuits Villages “Le Clos de Magny” blanc 2023, 91 points
Oak is still a little present (will integrate), still a little closed and will need 2-3 years, yellow-fruited, some citrus oil, overall pretty layered, there is a touch of bitterness on the finish adding complexity. A few weeks ago, I just tasted the 2019 (the second vintage) from my cellar and was shocked how delicious it was, particularly in this price range.

Domaine Cornu, Ladoix (rouge) 2023, 89 points
If I had a restaurant, Ladoix would probably be the Burgundy I would try to sell by the glass. Still kind of under the radar, it is one of the appellations that has probably benefitted from global warming at this point. In the best examples, these wines are juicy, fruity, delicious and go well with plenty of different kind of food. Domaine Cornu makes some of the best Ladoix from my perspective.

Succulent fruit of red cherries, raspberries, literally jumping out of the glass, with some spices too, just a touch of minerality and just a touch of tannin adding grip, but overall very charming, mid-weight and with a nice vein of medium acidity adding freshness. To drink now and over the next 2-3 years. A pleasure bomb. This would be my summer BBQ wine, slightly chilled.

Domaine Cornu, Pernand-Vergelesses 2023, 91 points
More ruby in color, with more minerality, smoke, some red bright fruit, also some graphite, floral notes too, more tense, a touch of rusticity that will integrate, with some medium tannin and some medium-high acidity. Good length. This will need about 2-3 years to open up more and integrate, but really nice potential. Pernand-Vergelesses is always a little more tense and fresh, but turn into something really nice with some bottle age.

Domaine Cornu, Savigny-lès-Beaune 2023, 92 points
Lots of limestone in the soil, Savigny-lès-Beaune likes warmer vintages. This wine is often a winner, I really like the 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022 of this a lot, too.

Superbly aromatic and perfumed, with notes of ripe strawberries, some raspberries, also some dark cherry fruit, some herbal and floral notes, also some chalky minerality. Medium-full bodied, with pretty high acidity and some medium tannin that is covered by the fruit. This has really good potential. Drink this e.g. with meat dishes, but also very versatile with Asian food from Peking Duck to spicier Sichuan dishes.

Domaine Cornu, Côtes de Nuits-Villages “Le Clos de Magny 2023, 90 points
A little bit darker in fruit, with more plum, darker cherries, some minerality, overall round and supple with good depth, this is a little richer than the Ssvigny, but with less acidity and overall maybe a little bit less lively and complex.

Domaine Cornu, Ladoix 1er Cru “Le Bois Roussot” 2023, 93 points
Always one of the top wines of the Domaine, this feels like a “mini” Corton, meaning this I the most positive way. Similar aromatics, but always approachable a little earlier, with a distinctive spiciness. The name “bois roussot” comes from the French word “roussir” (to redden), as the woods in the plot take on a reddish color in fall.

Notes of darker red fruit, some caramel, sweet spices, some floral notes, pepper, with lots of inner sweetness and elegance, very good depth too. Medium+ bodied, with very good persistence, showing medium-high acidity and just some tannin adding grip. Good finish. A beautiful Ladoix 1er Cru.

Corton Grand Cru “Les Maréchaudes” 2023, 94 points
Always the more “feminine” of the two Cortons, with dark red fruit, beautiful inner sweetness, very perfumed, floral notes of violets, sweet spices, always a beautifull finesse and elegance. There is medium-full body, with nice freshness of medium-high acidity, overall very supple, full of finesse. Give this a few years in bottle and see the complexity unfold.

Corton Grand Cru Rognet et Corton 2023, 95 points
Always the more “masculine” for a lack of better descriptor, more structured, deep and powerful, but also a little less elegant than Les Maréchaudes. Super layered, with intoxicating perfume, but will need more time in bottle to develop, with notes of pepper, some darker plum, also strawberries, but also some dark berries, excellent potential and finesse. Very good length. Medium-full bodied, with higher acidity and medium-high tannin that is excellent quality. Very good. Always a great bet.

Overall, Domaine Cornu produced a very pretty set of wines in this more heterogeneous vintage. It does not have the depth and concentration of the biggest vintages here, but makes up for it with immediate charme, beautiful perfume and excellent balance.

 

 

Markus Kumschick, WSET III

May 2025

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