Ladoix Rouge 1er Cru, “La Corvée”

A jewel of the Cornu cellar, La Corvée comes from a 0.3-hectare southeast-oriented parcel of vines past the half-century mark, and it offers the most powerful, visceral expression of Ladoix’s unique terroir in the lineup. It is a Ladoix that is profoundly mineral, with a chiseled core of smoky rock to which spicy black fruits seem to cling for dear life. Intensity is the operative mode in the beginning of the wine’s evolution, and patience will be required—but undoubtedly greatly rewarded.