(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d’Or here.)
Franck Follin-Arbelet said the he began harvesting on 29 August with the Charlemagne (the red Corton), then moved to the Aloxe-Clos du Chapître. Quantities are good but less than 2017. Alcohols generally are in the 13.5º-14º range with just a few above 14º. Grapes were entirely destemmed. Malo-lactic fermentations were very early, finishing in autumn and early winter.
This is an excellent set of wines with freshness being a constant theme throughout the line.
Starting with the reds:
2018 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots
Fresh and pure with dark and red fruits. Intense, balanced, excellent acidity, precision. (90-92)
2018 Aloxe-Corton
Medium-weight with breadth, fresh dark and red fruits, good acidic backbone, good concentration. (90-92)
2018 Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Clos du Chapître
Spicy crushed dark fruits nose. Dense, pure, and fresh in the mouth with dark fruits. Classic. (92-94)
2018 Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Vercots
Nose is dense, pure crushed dark fruits — very fresh. Mouth has dark fruits with some red raspberry and strawberry fruit. Very good concentration and balance, outstanding freshness, very good energy. (92-94)
2018 Corton
From the Le Charlemagne section on white soils. The nose is spicy with crushed red fruits. The mouth shows darker fruits with typical for these soils lightness on the palate, but good depth and intensity. Outstanding freshness. (92-95)
2018 Corton-Bressandes
Bressandes dark fruits, earthiness, stoniness in nose. Crushed dark fruits, finesse, concentration, length, freshness in mouth. (93-95)
2018 Romanée-Saint-Vivant
Spicy dark fruit aromas. The mouth is very dense, some tannins, dark fruits, still quite closed. Concentrated, fresh, some sensuality on palate. Less expressive today than the other reds. (93-96)
The whites:
2018 Pernand-Vergelesses
Steely and mineral in nose and mouth. Not as tightly-wound as in some vintages, but but very good for drinking young and has good freshness. (89-91)
2018 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeaux
This is a rare wine — 1-1/2 barrels made — from a small parcel planted in 2015. The aromas and flavors are stony, and there is a hint of pineapple in the mouth. This wine is more ample than the village Pernand, but not as steely or energetic. (88-90)
2018 Corton-Charlemagne
The Corton-Charlemagne is fairly ripe, but there is also a steely quality to the citric fruit. The wine is medium-weight and smooth on the palate, reflecting the characteristics of the vintage. (90-93)
My review of all of Follin-Arbelet’s 2017 tasted from barrel is here.
2017 Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Clos du Chapître
Red currant and other red fruits with great freshness. Good acidity, penetration, energy. Some tannins evident, but you can drink the wine now for its lovely fruit. 93/A
2017 Corton
The chalky nose reflects the white soils here. The mouth shows dark fruits, chalkiness, and freshness. The wine is medium-weight and very well-balanced. 93+/A-