Domaine Bonneau du Martray

Few wine estates on earth can claim a lineage as ancient or as well-documented as Domaine Bonneau du Martray. In 775 CE, the Emperor Charlemagne gifted his vineyards on the Hill of Corton to the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Andoche in Saulieu, in compensation for the destruction of their abbey by the Saracens. The Church stewarded the land for over a thousand years, with the Benedictine monks applying the most advanced viticultural methods of their era. This long custodianship ended abruptly with the French Revolution, when church properties were confiscated and auctioned by the new government in 1791. The vineyards were eventually acquired by Simon Very, whose daughter Marie-Eugenie later married Charles Bonneau du Martray, a descendant of Nicolas Rolin, the founder of the Hospices de Beaune. Her dowry included the vast vineyard holdings that formed the foundation of the modern estate. The Bonneau du Martray family effectively became only the third owner of the Charlemagne climat in a thousand years, after Charlemagne himself and the Church.

• Emperor Charlemagne donated the Corton vineyards to the Abbey of Saint-Andoche in Saulieu in 775 CE
• The Church held the property for over 1,000 years until the French Revolution forced the sale of ecclesiastical estates
• Marie-Eugenie Very married Charles Bonneau du Martray, a descendant of Hospices de Beaune founder Nicolas Rolin, establishing the family domaine
• The estate passed to Jean le Bault de la Moriniere in 1969, who began its international renaissance through export and cellar modernisation

The Hill of Corton is a geological anomaly in Burgundy. Unlike the predominantly south- and southeast-facing slopes of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, Corton is a large, rounded hill that presents multiple expositions. Bonneau du Martray's holdings sit in the historical heart of the appellation, in the En Charlemagne and Le Charlemagne climats, facing west and southwest. This makes Corton-Charlemagne the only Grand Cru in the Côte d'Or exposed to the setting sun, giving the vines extended afternoon light that Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere believed was the primary reason Corton-Charlemagne displays such extraordinary intensity with little fat. The vineyard runs from the top to the bottom of the hill at roughly 300 to 370 metres above sea level, above the trailing valley fogs. The geology is equally complex: a limestone bedrock is covered by white marl, topped by a fragile, silica-rich topsoil. A 2006 geological study commissioned by Jean-Charles revealed nine distinct geological facies within the holding. The parcels at the foot of the hilltop forest yield wines of floral, crystalline character; the mid-slope parcels add structure and texture; while the lower parcels, richer in minerals, contribute power and depth to the final blend.

• Corton-Charlemagne is the only Grand Cru in the Côte d'Or facing west, giving vines extended exposure to afternoon and evening sun
• Bonneau du Martray's 11-hectare holding spans the En Charlemagne (Pernand-Vergelesses) and Le Charlemagne (Aloxe-Corton) climats in one contiguous block
• Soils consist of a limestone base, a layer of white marl, and a fragile silica-rich topsoil; a 2006 geological study identified nine distinct facies within the estate
• Vineyards sit at approximately 300 to 370 metres elevation, above the valley fogs, with natural ventilation from neighbouring hills preserving freshness

The transition to biodynamic farming at Bonneau du Martray is one of the most significant chapters in the estate's modern history. When Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere inherited the domaine from his father in 1994, he inherited a vineyard suffering from serious soil erosion on the Hill of Corton, caused by a combination of natural geological factors and the prior use of chemical herbicides and phytosanitary products. Recognising that restoring the living ecosystem of the soil was essential to expressing terroir, Jean-Charles began a gradual shift to organic farming from 1997. The first biodynamic trials were launched in the autumn of 2004, and the full conversion to biodynamic viticulture was completed in 2011. The estate received biodynamic certification in 2013 and organic certification in 2019. Under Jean-Charles, yields were also significantly reduced through green harvesting, averaging around 30 hectolitres per hectare for the Corton rouge, to improve the intensity and quality of the wines. When E. Stanley Kroenke acquired the estate in 2017, he committed to maintaining these biodynamic principles while bringing fresh investment and a new management structure. The core technical team, including vineyard manager Fabien Esthor (since 2003) and winemaker Emmanuel Hautus (since 2011), remained unchanged.

• Biodynamic conversion began with organic farming from 1997 and trials from 2004; full biodynamic conversion completed in 2011
• Certified biodynamic since 2013 and certified organic since 2019
• Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere dramatically reduced yields to improve wine intensity, targeting around 30 hectolitres per hectare for Corton rouge
• After the 2017 acquisition by Kroenke, the core technical team including longtime vineyard manager Fabien Esthor and winemaker Emmanuel Hautus remained in place

Bonneau du Martray produces only two wines, and both are Grand Cru. This singular focus, maintained across multiple ownership generations, is unique in all of Burgundy. The flagship is the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, a white Burgundy produced from 9.5 hectares of Chardonnay across 15 individually vinified parcels. After a gentle crush and pressing, fermentation takes place in a combination of new and older French oak barrels, with 30% new oak used historically. The wine then ages on its fine lees through a second winter before being racked and moved to tank for homogenisation, then bottled during a waning phase of the moon in keeping with biodynamic principles. The resulting wine is celebrated for its extraordinary intensity, minerality, and longevity. The second wine is the Corton Grand Cru, a red Burgundy from 1.5 hectares of Pinot Noir. Since 2021, this wine is labelled as Corton Grand Cru Le Charlemagne, following the domaine's decision to exit the broader Corton-Charlemagne appellation in a statement about terroir delimitation. The Pinot Noir parcels, facing west, benefit from clay-rich soils lower on the hill. Under Kroenke's stewardship, vinification changes including later harvesting and greater extraction have been applied to enhance the wine's fruit profile and refine its tannins.

• Two wines only: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (Chardonnay, 9.5 ha) and Corton Grand Cru Le Charlemagne (Pinot Noir, 1.5 ha)
• Corton-Charlemagne is fermented and aged parcel-by-parcel in French oak (historically 30% new) with extended lees ageing through a second winter
• Since 2021, the Pinot Noir is labelled Corton Grand Cru Le Charlemagne, following the domaine's exit from the Corton-Charlemagne AOC in protest at its broad delimitation
• Bottling follows biodynamic principles, timed to a waning phase of the moon

In January 2017, after centuries of family ownership, Domaine Bonneau du Martray was acquired by E. Stanley Kroenke, the American property magnate and sports franchise owner who also owns Screaming Eagle, Jonata, and The Hilt in California. He became only the fifth owner in the domaine's entire history, joining a lineage that began with Emperor Charlemagne. A new management team was installed, led by Armand de Maigret and Thibault Jacquet, while the core winemaking team remained. In May 2018, the estate made a landmark announcement: 2.8 hectares of its Corton-Charlemagne holding would be leased to Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, effective from the 2019 vintage. The arrangement reduced Bonneau du Martray's Corton-Charlemagne production by approximately 25 to 30 percent, but concentrated resources on the remaining 6.7 hectares while opening the door for DRC to produce its own Corton-Charlemagne. The alignment was philosophically natural, as both domaines practice biodynamic viticulture. The estate's wines have attracted consistent critical acclaim, with Clive Coates describing the white Corton-Charlemagne as one of the very greatest in all of Burgundy, and Hugh Johnson awarding the estate his highest four-star rating. The wine was also served at a private birthday celebration for Queen Elizabeth II in 2006.

• Acquired in January 2017 by E. Stanley Kroenke (owner of Screaming Eagle), becoming only the fifth owner in the domaine's entire history
• In 2018, Bonneau du Martray leased 2.8 hectares of Corton-Charlemagne to Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, effective from the 2019 vintage
• Clive Coates described the white Corton-Charlemagne as 'one of the very greatest in all Burgundy'; Hugh Johnson awarded his highest four-star rating
• The wines were served at a private birthday dinner for Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, cementing the estate's global prestige

Domaine Bonneau du Martray has built a consistent record of critical acclaim and a growing presence on the fine wine secondary market. The Corton-Charlemagne receives scores regularly in the low-to-mid 90s from major critics, with standout vintages pushing higher. The 2022 vintage received 97 points from Robert Parker. The estate entered the Liv-ex Fine Wine Power 100 index for the first time in 2013 and has been an increasingly active presence on the Liv-ex market since the Kroenke acquisition, notably driving significant trading volume in Burgundy during February 2024. The decision to lease 2.8 hectares to DRC meaningfully reduced supply, and the DRC association elevated the profile of the entire Corton-Charlemagne terroir. The estate's wines are recognised as long-lived; even a bottle of 2017 Corton-Charlemagne was projected by Wine Advocate to remain in its drinking window until 2045. This combination of restricted supply, biodynamic credentials, Burgundy Grand Cru provenance, and benchmark critical scores positions Bonneau du Martray as both a collector favourite and a legitimate fine wine investment.

• The 2022 Corton-Charlemagne received 97 points from Robert Parker; scores regularly reach the low-to-mid 90s across most vintages
• The estate entered the Liv-ex Fine Wine Power 100 for the first time in 2013 and has grown significantly in secondary market activity since 2017
• Supply reduction from the DRC lease (2.8 ha leased from 2019) has concentrated production and supported market pricing
• The wines are built for cellaring; the 2017 Corton-Charlemagne was projected to be drinkable until 2045 according to Wine Advocate