Winemaker Notes
Game birds, fattened chicken in cream sauce, Burgundiancheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Bouchard Pere & Fils 2015 Premier Cru Beaune Greves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus, Cote d'Or comes from Bouchard Pere & Fils' monopole vineyard of almost 9.7 acres in the heart of the Beaune Greves appellation. With a cherry-bright nose that includes peppermint and spiced oak, rose petals melt on the tongue, drying the palate. Rescued by the juiciness of raspberries, cherries and the acidity of pomegranate, this satin beauty glides to the finish.
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James Suckling
A 3.9-hectare plot in the center of Beaune-Grèves 1er Cru. A very impressive array of raspberries and red cherries, as well as pastry notes and young leather. Very fresh. The palate has terrific depth and detail, saturated plush fruits. A long red-cherry finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Beaune 1er Cru Les Greves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus comes from sandier soil than elsewhere in Beaune Greves and therefore tends to be picked earlier. This blend contains around 30% whole cluster fruit. It has a clean and fresh bouquet with red plum, mulberry and cranberry aromas that have more brightness than some of Bouchard Pere's other red 2015 barrel samples. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well judged acidity, plenty of red fruit mixed with honey, hints of marmalade, quite exotic for this vineyard, but with everything kept in proportion. This should develop into a fine red Burgundy.
Range: (90-92)
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
While the city represents the epicenter of wine production in Burgundy, the term, “Beaune” also refers to the specific sub-appellation of the greater Côte de Beaune, whose vineyards climb up the pastoral slopes that border the city to its west. Originally founded as a Roman camp by Julius Caesar, the city of Beaune eventually became the seat of the dukes of Burgundy until the 13th century. Today it is home to top négociants such as Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Latour, and Bouchard Père et Fils.
The appellation, dominated by Pinot Noir plantings, represents a lovely and charming place to begin to understand red Burgundy. Its sandy soils create light and supple, floral driven Pinot Noir. These wines are designed to be enjoyed within five to 10 years. The vineyards of Beaune span a broad swath of Premier Crus from Savigny-lès-Beaune to its border with Pommard.
Chardonnay acreage here has been increasing here in the more recent years.