Bouchard Pere et Fils

Rich, imperial purple with a huge, generous nose, this is exciting. A vast bundle of ripe dark fruit, some plums, some cherries, really very stylish indeed, and excellent length.  Very good weight, still lively and very long. 
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.

East-facing below the Charlemagne holding, this was one of the last wines to be picked. Intense purple in colour, this displays a fresh nose – clear cut and mineral. It is very intense but not too muscular, good with grape tannins and fresh hillside acidity. Very persistent.

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.

Featuring orange blossom on the nose, this wine is extremely well perfumed and chiselled, yet with a generous weight and a streak of lime acidity behind riper tasting grapes. This is quite delicious and even though currently in two parts, there is a sense of harmony.
Jasper Morris MW, BBR Wine Buyer Bouchard picked from 29th August to 10th September in 2011 and Philippe Prost, his head winemaker, thinks that there is a clear stylistic difference in 2011 between the up slope wines which are in a modern, fruit forward style, and the denser, more structured lower slope bottlings. Either way, the key was to avoid green tannins and to limit new oak: 20-25% for lesser Premier Crus, 30-50% for senior versions and a maximum 65% for Grand Cru of either colour.

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It takes time to dig out all the flavours in this exceptional wine. It is a blockbuster, with notes of gingerbread and orange blossom adding an exotic quality to the dense mass of classical fruit. Extraordinarily intense, this will be terrific if you can wait a few years; be patient and you will be rewarded.

With a real depth to the nose this is very impressive. There is a magnificent weight of fruit here, swelling across the palate, and everything is perfectly in place. White fruit, gorgeous taffeta texture plump yet fine and very long. 
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.

Lemon-scented with a touch of pineapple, this has several layers of dense, textured fruit and a graciously mineral follow through. The quality is evident in the incredible length of the aftertaste.

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

Reminiscent of a waft of sunshine and rose petals in bloom, this Montrachet from Bouchard has a lovely covering of velvet over a massive block of marble. It is brilliantly put together and is very, very long and absolutely lovely. It really is up there amongst the very best Montrachets.

Although not a domaine wine, this is harvested from the same 1ha plot each year. It offers a pretty, medium-deep purple colour, with an attractive but discreet nose. It begins delicately, then opens out to a significant volume of fruit, with just a touch of pepper behind. This is graceful yet intense with amazing persistence. Excellent.

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.

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.

Excellent, clear and bright, there is very little nose at this early stage but sublime fruit on the palate, with a mineral core and exceptional persistence. It offers intensity rather than weight, with maybe a little pear and white peach fruit leading to a fabulous finish. Grand vin.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

In response to the very small concentrated berries which characterise the fruit in 2012, Philippe Prost, head winemaker, has opted for more whole bunch fermentation this year, up to 25% per cuvée. The wines are exceptionally intense, so a little leavening by the inclusion of some stems makes sense. The white wines are bursting with energy, clearly amongst the successes of the vintage.

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

Clear, bright and pale in colour, this combines majesty with discretion. It is a superbly floral offering with ethereal, lifted fruit. All the detail is there, with waves of flavour rolling across the palate, and so much concentration of fruit that the acidity is hidden. Fabulous Montrachet.

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.

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

This little patch of vineyards looks to the eye as if it is part of Le Montrachet. The map may say otherwise but it certainly has the weight and density of wines from that vineyard. The taste sensations however have all the qualities of a great Chevalier. Intense and magically perfumed this is an absolutely brilliant wine; the aftertaste alone is sensational.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer - June 2012)

Bouchard are the third largest owners of plots in Le Montrachet and certainly manage one of the best sources. Their 2007 is like a diamond fist in a golden glove, immensely powerful yet with nobility in every aspect. The bouquet shows just a trace of old-style roses, but it is hard to define the magisterial flavours of a great wine such as this. Heady fruit and mineral purity succumb the senses; this is virtually as perfect as a wine can get

From three separate plots covering different parts of the Perrires vineyard. There is a touch of honey alongside some apple compte notes, while the wine in the mouth starts full and fleshy but finishes on lively minerals. Complete and complex.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

Philippe Prost, long-time winemaker at Bouchard Pre & 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.

Quite heavily hailed so a quarter of the already small crop was declassified. Superb concentrated colour here, real life and energy. Very intense, ultra succulent dark plum and blackberry, a huge wave of succulent fruit covering the structure. They have managed the tannins very well.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

In response to the very small concentrated berries which characterise the fruit in 2012, Philippe Prost, head winemaker, has opted for more whole bunch fermentation this year, up to 25% per cuve. The wines are exceptionally intense, so a little leavening by the inclusion of some stems makes sense. The white wines are bursting with energy, clearly amongst the successes of the vintage.

Dense, tense and concentrated – there is real muscle here along with a dramatic nervous tension. White pears appear on the palate in a medley of fruit flavours. Ripe, full and very fine indeed.

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.

The bouquet of this splendid Chambertin Clos de Bze from Bouchard suggests new wood, magical perfume, deep rich plums and ultra opulence, yet on the palate it is seamless with energy right through to the back. It has an amazing intensity and endless length. This may be glorious to drink even in its youth though it should equally live to a ripe old age.

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.