Bouchard Père & Fils: devoted guardians of Burgundian heritage

January 9, 2023

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Based in 1731 in Beaune by Michel Bouchard, Bouchard Père & Fils stays one of many oldest, family-owned estates in Burgundy. In 1995, Joseph Henriot bought Bouchard Père & Fils to affix Champagne Henriot and later acquired William Fèvre (Chablis) in 1998. The Henriot household then bought Beaux Frères (Oregon) in 2017, all of which come beneath the ‘Maisons & Domaines Henriot’ umbrella. Joseph remained a custodian of the home’s historical past and elegance till his premature dying in 2015. His nephew, Gilles de Larouzière Henriot, is now President and CEO of the group.

The historical past of the Maison has taken form by means of the acquisition of iconic plots. Bouchards’s first vineyards had been bought in 1755 by second era Joseph Bouchard within the famend Volnay climat Les Caillerets, marking the start of the event of the household’s holdings. The acquisition of the Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus adopted. Increasing the property’s holdings remained a strategic precedence for the successive generations, with extra key terroirs in the very best Villages of the Côte d’Or bought within the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus

Right this moment, Bouchard owns 130 hectares of vines, of which 12 are classed as Grand Cru and 74 as Premier Cru, guaranteeing Bouchard are the biggest house owners of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards within the Côte d’Or. Their holdings span over 48 km from north to south with a mosaic of 450 totally different particular person plots. Bouchard Père & Fils holds an unparalleled number of distinctive websites, every expressive of the slice of Burgundian historical past they signify, inside prestigious appellations reminiscent of Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Beaune Grèves Vignes de l’Enfant Jésus, Bonnes-Mares, and Meursault Perrières. Bouchard are in reality the biggest house owners in Meursault and have distinctive possession within the Chevalier-Montrachet appellation, being the one home to personal land on all 4 terraces.

Among the many property’s holdings are 4 monopoles and a number of exclusivities, supporting the event of a deep, in-house data of the specificity and character of every parcel. This in flip is translated into each single bottle, from entry degree to Village, Premier and Grand Cru wines. Cellar Grasp Frédéric Weber and his workforce dedicate the identical care and a spotlight to all Bouchard wines, no matter appellation and classification, pursuing the identical quest for terroir expression and approachable magnificence.

Grand Cru Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte

These wonderful wines, crafted by Frédéric and his workforce, are saved within the cellars that run deep underground beneath the Château de Beaune, offering ideally suited pure storage circumstances. Bought in 1820 by Bernard Bouchard, the Château de Beaune is a former royal fortress constructed within the fifteenth Century by King Louis XI. 4 of the 5 authentic towers, in addition to components of the ramparts, nonetheless stand at the moment and have featured on the record of historic monuments since 1937. The cellars, as much as 10 metres deep, permit the wines to develop and age undisturbed. These embrace a singular assortment of over 2,000 bottles from the nineteenth Century. A priceless historic legacy with, as its icon, the oldest wine – a Meursault Charmes 1846 which nonetheless retains its lustre.

Care, endurance, creativity and relentless consideration to element, from root to barrel, form the ethos of Bouchard Père & Fils, now with a renewed give attention to sustainability. Each Bouchard Père & Fils winery is managed beneath sustainable viticulture (licensed as Excessive Environmental Worth L3 since 2015) with a view to convey out the authenticity and full potential of the grapes and climats. 50 hectares of the Bouchard property are already organically farmed, with Bouchard, together with their sister home William Fèvre, beneath the method of changing to licensed natural viticulture, which will likely be absolutely realised in 2026. The fixed consideration to element additionally continues at harvest, when the grapes are picked by hand, positioned in small crates, and thoroughly chosen previous to vinification. Winemaking is completed, with goldsmith precision, on the high-tech St. Vincent vineyard in-built 2005 in Savigny-lès-Beaune. Situated 5 metres under floor, the grapes are transferred gently and naturally, by gravity, into the 138 maceration tanks and presses over 100 totally different parcels are individually vinified in. The wines are then matured in oak in an ageing cellar with capability for 4,000 barrels. This era of maturation permits the purity and complexity of every terroir to totally develop. Dug 10 metres under floor the barrel cellar gives ideally suited, pure circumstances of air flow and humidity for the wines to finish their maturation course of.

Constructing upon three centuries of expertise, Bouchard Père & Fils combines custom and innovation to convey out the distinctive character of every Burgundian terroir and classic.

Bouchard Père & Fils – 4 flagship domaine wines:

Tasted and scored by the Decanter workforce

Beaune Premier Cru Clos Saint- Landry 2017

95 factors
A fantastic uncommon fowl from Pinot Noir nation with a muscular depth balanced by refined magnificence. Intense aromas of lemon curd, toasted almonds and apple peel announce a palate that’s without delay nervy and creamy. Exact construction but in addition an interesting roundness supported by wealthy flavours of almond croissant, yellow apple, poached pear and lemon pie. A touch of smoky sandal provides it an alluring exoticism.
100% Chardonnay, 13.5% ABV

Beaune-Grèves Premier Cru Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus 2017

95 factors
A standout wine that leaves nobody detached. With sturdy character and a lingering presence, it opens within the glass with alluring freshness and brooding magnificence. Wonderful tannins underpinned by measured acidity. Aromas of dried herbs mingle with intriguing apple peel, smokey bergamot and dried roses. A real journey on the palate with a zesty playfulness on the assault and a crunchy richness on the midpalate. Lengthy end with refined spiciness.
100% Pinot Noir, 13.5% ABV

Volnay Premier Cru Les Caillerets ‘Ancienne Cuvée Carnot’ 2016

94 factors
A wine that rewards endurance and a spotlight, and guarantees nice issues in years to return. Upon opening it has a brooding savouriness with earthy aromas of forest flooring, moist leaves and prunes. As soon as within the glass it opens to aromas of blackberry, purple plum, hedgerow and mulberry. With very wonderful tannins however a sturdy construction. Lingering and refreshing flavours of blood orange and darkish plum. Enable it to unravel absolutely and at size.
100% Pinot Noir, 13.5% ABV

Beaune Premier Cru Clos de La Mousse 2015

94 factors
A wine with zesty youthfulness that you would nicely mistake for a youthful, cooler classic. The nostril is a masterful dance of pink grapefruit, recent thyme, tangerine peel, dried rosemary and baking spices. The palate follows with wonderful tannins, uplifting freshness and vibrant purple fruit (cranberry, redcurrant, raspberry sorbet) lined, once more, by a citrus, bergamot-like freshness. Very lengthy end with grip and nerve.
100% Pinot Noir, 13.5% ABV