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The commune of Aloxe-Corton, located above Pernand-Vergelesses at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune, has the unusual distinction of having over half its area covered in grand cru vineyards. These occupy 298 acres divided among 19 climats which take the Corton grand cru appellation for red wines; five among these, totalling 120 acres, take the Corton-Charlemagne grand cru appellation for white wines as well as the Corton grand cru appellation for red wines. Aloxe-Corton's remaining 294 acres include nine premiers crus, covering 72 acres, and 222 acres ranked for village wines. Production of these latter vineyards is over 99 percent in red wines. Average annual production is 4,320 hectolitres (48,000 cases). The origin of the name "Aloxe-Corton" indicates how old this village of 200 inhabitants is. "Aloxe" is derived from "Alussa," meaning "the country of Alus," a Gallo-Roman deity. The name "Corton" is less certain: some speculate that it is taken from the Latin "cortis," a rural residence; or that the village was names for Curtis d'Othon, a Roman emperor and close ally of Nero. Vines have been planted in Aloxe since at least 775, when Charlemagne bequeathed his vines to the Abbey of Saulieu in recompense for the pillage of their monastery at the hands of the Saracens. The commune only added the name of its famous Corton vineyard to its own in 1862, becoming Aloxe-Corton. The Les Grèves vineyard, in Aloxe-Corton, is situated in the center of the commune roughly midway up the part of the slope exposed to the southeast. Covering 5.73 acres, it produces red wines only, suggested by the name "grèves," for its gravelly soils. In 1995, Domaine Louis Jadot purchased 1.09 acres in Les Grèves which yields a full, tannic, well-structured Pinot Noir, with the ample, plummy fragrance and intense red berry flavors typical of this great grand cru slope, offset by earth and mineral notes. Allying power with superb balance, it culminates in a long, persistent finish.
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