Bouchard Pere et Fils

The 2013 Le Montrachet Grand Cru has a very reserved bouquet, a light marine influence coming through with aeration of shucked oyster shells and a smidgen of orange rind. The palate is fresh and crisp, compact, more austere than the two Chevaliers at the moment, with very laconic, tight-lipped finish compared to others that I have tasted. Let’s see...this is giving away zilch at the moment! 
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Dec 2014

At this early stage the oak is more evident than for the straight Chevalier-Montrachet, perhaps hiding the fruit a touch on the nose. However, in the mouth the fruit shows incredible weight and energy, with opulent peaches and nectarines, all in a coating of expensive wood. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

The 2013 grapes were picked between 30th September and 11th October. The white skins were fragile so pressing was very gentle, the reds more robust and capable of a good proportion of whole bunch fermentation. Most wines are now in tank with bottling a little earlier than usual. An exceptional range of reds in particular from Bouchard this year.

From three plots located throughout Perrières, this has a touch of pale lemon in terms of colour, bright fresh fruit on the nose, interesting saline complexity and some yellow plums. With excellent acidity behind, this is very pleasing, lively and lemony.

Frédéric Weber has taken over prime winemaking responsibilities from Philippe Prost. He shares with his predecessor the ability to talk eloquently about his wines, with an excellent knowledge of each terroir. One change here is the increasing use of whole bunches during fermentation, though more in the Côte de Nuits than Côte de Beaune this year. Overall, these are excellent wines.

Spicy, exuberant flavours with nice purity and sweet spices in the persistent finish. A very well made Clos de Beze that focuses on intense fruit and vibrant flavours. The finish has a salty minerality. Only 300 cases produced in 2012.
Jeannie Cho Lee - Master of Wine

This La Cabotte is the very special sub-section of Chevalier, continuing the rows of Bouchards Le Montrachet. It is fairly restrained compared to the regular Chevalier, but with unbelievable intensity on the palate and a line of steel that runs through the middle. The fruit flavours are yet to emerge in detail but it is precise and chiselled, yet in glorious volume.

We preferred this to Bouchard’s Caillerets this year. It has a lovely vivid red-purple colour, and a very stylish nose with charm almost akin to Les Amoureuses. Fresh and energetic, there is a great sense of precision on the palate. Drink 2015-2020.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director

Philippe Prost, long-time winemaker at Bouchard Père & Fils, is less flamboyant than his veteran opposite number at Jadot, but he still has firm opinions and he knows the detail of all his vineyard sites inside out. He clearly prefers his 2010 whites to the previous vintage, though we rather liked those too, while the fresh finish of the vintage has brought his excellent 2010 reds to life.

Mid purple in colour, the nose shows dark red fruit with some black cherries. This is really intense on the palate, very harmonious, showing no sign of hail damage. There is a lovely mineral crunch to it, with very long, drawn-out flavours. Merits its high reputation. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

The 2013 grapes were picked between 30th September and 11th October. The white skins were fragile so pressing was very gentle, the reds more robust and capable of a good proportion of whole bunch fermentation. Most wines are now in tank with bottling a little earlier than usual. An exceptional range of reds in particular from Bouchard this year.

The 2013 Meursault 1er Cru les Perrières has an attractive austerity on the nose, well defined, and actually capturing the essence of Perrières better than some of the more famous producers. The palate is crisp and precise with a keen line of acidity, well-integrated oak and a touch of grilled walnut and salinity toward the long finish. Bravo! This is very well-executed Perrières. 
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Dec 2014

A hugely dense black-purple colour, this has an amazing weight of flavour, black fruit, unctuous and opulent, just enough acidity and completely ripe tannins. Impeccable concentration, this is a great wine this year.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

The 2013 grapes were picked between 30th September and 11th October. The white skins were fragile so pressing was very gentle, the reds more robust and capable of a good proportion of whole bunch fermentation. Most wines are now in tank with bottling a little earlier than usual. An exceptional range of reds in particular from Bouchard this year.

A notably ripe yet elegant and admirably pure nose features both hints of stone and earth that can also be found on the detailed, precise and energetic middle weight flavors that possess relatively fine tannins and excellent length. There is good buffering sap and I very much like the balance of this classy effort.
(Allen Meadows - burghound.com - May 2011)

This Meursault Perrires from Bouchard is tightly wound at first but grows into an ample finish, working in complete harmony with several layers of flavour building. It has a beautiful fleshy texture but with a mineral streak through the middle.

A pale, straw colour again, there is huge weight on the nose but not much detail. It has a fabulous degree of density over and above the regular Chevalier-Montrachet bottling. Perfectly balanced, how have they done this? A really heavenly wine with extraordinary density. Drink 2020-2030.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Picking began on 3rd September, not before, as the whites were not phenologically ripe earlier, and the acidity was stable. For the reds many more whole bunches have been used this vintage, given that the grapes were perfectly ripe. The reds are every bit the standard you would expect, but we were completely bowled over by the brilliance of the white wines here this year.

Rich purple with some blacker tints, some glossy new oak shows, although only 40 percent was used. This has the same sense of inky luxury which pervades the Bouchard reds this year, but is underpinned by a long thread of classy, stylish fruit. With superb length, this is really very chic. Drink 2026-2040.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Picking began on 3rd September, not before, as the whites were not phenologically ripe earlier, and the acidity was stable. For the reds many more whole bunches have been used this vintage, given that the grapes were perfectly ripe. The reds are every bit the standard you would expect, but we were completely bowled over by the brilliance of the white wines here this year.

Production was at 23hl/ha, yielding only 10 barrels, which is half the usual amount. These aren’t Bouchard’s vines, but the grower is clearly dedicated and produces great fruit, following some selected biodynamic principles. It’s very expressive and pleasurable and, although the house style is to offer a luxurious experience, there is no shortage of complexity here either. Drink 2026-2040.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Bouchard Père & Fils can trace its origins back to 1731 though it is no longer family- owned. In 1995 Champagne entrepreneur, Joseph Henriot, acquired the company. The wines are made by technical director Frédéric Weber in succession to Philippe Prost. An impressive gravity-flow winery on the Route de Savigny, the Cuverie St Vincent, was completed in 2005, enabling them to process all their wines with optimum efficiency. Bouchard’s total holdings comprise 130 hectares, including 12 hectares of Grand Cru and 74 hectares of Premier Cru, which makes them the largest vineyard owners in the Côte d’Or. Philippe Prost had an individual take on the vintage. His view is that the high levels of rainfall at the start of the year (themselves contributory to the frost damage) saturated the soil to such a degree that high levels of minerals were unlocked and subsequently taken up by the vines. It is useful to get the view of a producer who covers the whole region. He also observed that there were much smaller berries in the Côte de Beaune than the Côte de Nuits and that, on the whole, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were picked at almost the same time. He also offered a thought on bâtonnage: Bouchard prefers to roll their barrels to move the lees, and not to open the bung and stir. This preserves the CO2 in the wine which means less SO2 is necessary.

Bouchard owns an enviable 30 percent of Chevalier- Montrachet. There are four distinct terraces and Bouchard has vines on all four, which they harvest and age separately. La Cabotte is a further separate enclave which sits just above Le Montrachet and could, arguably, have been classified as such. At this level, adjectives are blunt instruments; this is an extraordinarily vivid, animated expression of a remarkable terroir, all the elements in harness. Reduced volumes this year, of course. Drink 2027-2040.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Bouchard Père & Fils can trace its origins back to 1731 though it is no longer family- owned. In 1995 Champagne entrepreneur, Joseph Henriot, acquired the company. The wines are made by technical director Frédéric Weber in succession to Philippe Prost. An impressive gravity-flow winery on the Route de Savigny, the Cuverie St Vincent, was completed in 2005, enabling them to process all their wines with optimum efficiency. Bouchard’s total holdings comprise 130 hectares, including 12 hectares of Grand Cru and 74 hectares of Premier Cru, which makes them the largest vineyard owners in the Côte d’Or. Philippe Prost had an individual take on the vintage. His view is that the high levels of rainfall at the start of the year (themselves contributory to the frost damage) saturated the soil to such a degree that high levels of minerals were unlocked and subsequently taken up by the vines. It is useful to get the view of a producer who covers the whole region. He also observed that there were much smaller berries in the Côte de Beaune than the Côte de Nuits and that, on the whole, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were picked at almost the same time. He also offered a thought on bâtonnage: Bouchard prefers to roll their barrels to move the lees, and not to open the bung and stir. This preserves the CO2 in the wine which means less SO2 is necessary.

Bouchard has huge vineyard holdings in Beaune, but one of their oldest is this, bought from a charitable sisterhood of nuns ( hence the name) just after the French Revolution. There are nearly four hectares on sandy and chalky soils, but planted at 11,000 vines per hectare. The wine is very rounded and juicy, showing the use of whole bunches, with a lighter touch and delicacy on the finish. Very delicious. Drink 2024-2032.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Bouchard Père & Fils can trace its origins back to 1731 though it is no longer family- owned. In 1995 Champagne entrepreneur, Joseph Henriot, acquired the company. The wines are made by technical director Frédéric Weber in succession to Philippe Prost. An impressive gravity-flow winery on the Route de Savigny, the Cuverie St Vincent, was completed in 2005, enabling them to process all their wines with optimum efficiency. Bouchard’s total holdings comprise 130 hectares, including 12 hectares of Grand Cru and 74 hectares of Premier Cru, which makes them the largest vineyard owners in the Côte d’Or. Philippe Prost had an individual take on the vintage. His view is that the high levels of rainfall at the start of the year (themselves contributory to the frost damage) saturated the soil to such a degree that high levels of minerals were unlocked and subsequently taken up by the vines. It is useful to get the view of a producer who covers the whole region. He also observed that there were much smaller berries in the Côte de Beaune than the Côte de Nuits and that, on the whole, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were picked at almost the same time. He also offered a thought on bâtonnage: Bouchard prefers to roll their barrels to move the lees, and not to open the bung and stir. This preserves the CO2 in the wine which means less SO2 is necessary.

Bouchard’s parcel is in Le Corton, at 280 metres’ altitude and facing east. The fruit here ripens slowly, giving an energetic and complex expression. It is delicate but concentrated, with complex flavours of crushed red berries and Asian spices, and chalky tannins that roll over the tongue. Drink 2024-2028.

Frédéric Weber explained that the dry conditions in the summer left some parcels suffering from hydric stress, which necessitated a change to the usual picking order. As a result, harvest began on 4th September in the Côte de Beaune for reds, with whites following from 8th and then the Côte de Nuits reds from 12th, finishing with Clos de Bèze on 20th. The season was otherwise very straightforward and Frédéric feels the vintage has given whites with good balance and surprising power, and reds which are rounded with delicate aromas and flavours.

These were the last grapes to be picked and the wine typically takes longer to express itself in both barrel and bottle, as though it moves at a more serene pace. The nose is glossy with spicy oak and a touch of reduction, while the palate is rich, supple and suave with sophisticated tannins. As good as this is at present, there is definitely more to come and it will age beautifully. Drink 2025-2035.


Frédéric Weber explained that the dry conditions in the summer left some parcels suffering from hydric stress, which necessitated a change to the usual picking order. As a result, harvest began on 4th September in the Côte de Beaune for reds, with whites following from 8th and then the Côte de Nuits reds from 12th, finishing with Clos de Bèze on 20th. The season was otherwise very straightforward and Frédéric feels the vintage has given whites with good balance and surprising power, and reds which are rounded with delicate aromas and flavours.

This four-hectare holding is in the Grèves vineyard, right on the mid-slope. The nose has rich, dense redcherry fruit. The tannic structure is clearly visible but sweet and chalky, giving an interesting counterpoint to the ripe fruit and crisp acidity. Delicate touches of violets and small cherries add detail to a complex backdrop. Drink 2022-2027.

Frédéric Weber explained that the dry conditions in the summer left some parcels suffering from hydric stress, which necessitated a change to the usual picking order. As a result, harvest began on 4th September in the Côte de Beaune for reds, with whites following from 8th and then the Côte de Nuits reds from 12th, finishing with Clos de Bèze on 20th. The season was otherwise very straightforward and Frédéric feels the vintage has given whites with good balance and surprising power, and reds which are rounded with delicate aromas and flavours.

Bouchard owns an enviable 30 percent of the Chevalier-Montrachet. There are four distinct terraces and Bouchard has vines on all four which they harvest and age separately before blending to give the most complete reading of this outstanding terroir. The floral nose has notes of mandarin, which follow through onto the palate. It’s zesty, with a salivating purity and spentmatch reduction. Drink 2027-2040.

Frédéric Weber explained that the dry conditions in the summer left some parcels suffering from hydric stress, which necessitated a change to the usual picking order. As a result, harvest began on 4th September in the Côte de Beaune for reds, with whites following from 8th and then the Côte de Nuits reds from 12th, finishing with Clos de Bèze on 20th. The season was otherwise very straightforward and Frédéric feels the vintage has given whites with good balance and surprising power, and reds which are rounded with delicate aromas and flavours.