Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesDark fruits in 2016. The DNA of long, silky tannins is alive and well here. A suave and polished style with an attractive core of flavorsome, elegant mid-palate fruits.
Range: 93-94
Range:91-93
The 2016 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus offers up pretty aromas of cherries, cassis, sweet loamy soil, truffles and grilled game bird. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and supple, with a succulent core of fleshy fruit and a rich and textural profile. It's a giving, generous wine that should offer a broad drinking window, but don't let its early approachability deceive, as it should be long-lived too.
Founded in 1731, Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest wine merchants and one of the largest landowners in the Côte d’Or. Over the centuries, the House has been devoted to attaining highly renowned parcels to produce exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With uncompromising quality standards, long term grower partnerships and ageing in a state-of-the-art winery results in wines of outstanding consistency and the truest and finest expression of each terroir.
Bouchard Père & Fils joined the Henriot family portfolio in 1995.
Over time, by acquiring various terroirs with great care and patience, Bouchard Père & Fils has built up a vast domaine in Côte-d’Or. Today the estate boasts 130 hectares of vines, of which 12 are classed Grand Cru and 74 classed as Premier Cru.
Bouchard Père & Fils is an example of unique Burgundy heritage, offering great diversity and a raft of prestigious appellations: Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Beaune Grèves Vignes de l’Enfant Jésus, Bonnes-Mares, Meursault Perrières… names that resonate with history, inspiring respect and encouraging the pursuit of excellence, with 4 monopolies and exclusives among them. These remarkable parcels are meticulously tended by our teams who are responsible for the maintenance of the estate’s vines.
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.
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.”